More care home residents can now receive round-the-clock expert help without having to make a potentially stressful journey thanks to a facility at Airedale Hospital.

The Telehealth hub offers medical help via a high-quality secure video link. It is staffed by specialist nurses, who can assess patients as well as support the nursing home staff to provide any additional care.

The service is now benefiting a Bradford home that specialises in looking after elderly residents with dementia.

Staff at Ashville, in Idle, were able to use the new telemedicine service for the first time to get care for one of their residents on New Year’s Eve.

Wendy Selby, manager of Ashville, said: “It’s a brilliant service and can be a life-saver. We are so pleased to have got it during winter, which is generally our busiest time with health issues.

“It allows us to get medical help for our residents when we need it, normally from their bedside, without having to call a GP out or take them into hospital, which means we have to get extra cover as a member of our staff needs to go as well.”