STROKE victims could be forced to travel to Bradford for emergency treatment, it is feared.

The warning was voiced this week as it emerged Airedale Hospital may no longer cater for 999 stroke patients.

John Grogan, Keighley's Labour parliamentary candidate, learned of the proposal during a visit to the Steeton hospital on Saturday.

He has hit out at a lack of public consultation over the move, which he says would add considerably to victims' journey times for potentially lifesaving treatment.

But health chiefs countered that while stroke services across the district were under review, the aim was to improve quality of care.

Mr Grogan, who was visiting the hospital with Labour leader Ed Miliband, said: "Senior NHS staff confirmed to me that all stroke services in West Yorkshire were being reviewed.

"The main focus is now apparently on transferring some services from Airedale Hospital to Bradford.

"Eight options are being considered and some, if not all, of these involve patients who have suffered a stroke going directly to Bradford for their initial treatment.

"Staff told me that what is likely to be left at Airedale would essentially be a rehabilitation unit."

He said he was "astonished" there had been no public consultation, despite the need for it being mentioned at an executive meeting of Airedale, Wharfedale and Craven Clinical Commissioning Group.

"It is this body which will make the final decision as to whether to commission stroke services in Keighley or Bradford," said Mr Grogan.

"Apart from the extension to journey times for patients, I am deeply concerned that once you start salami-slicing services at Airedale the fear must be that one service quickly follows another, the top consultants head elsewhere and before you know it you end up with a cottage hospital."

Airedale NHS Foundation Trust says a partnership of hospital providers and GP commissioners is examining the best way to provide "consistent high quality and safe" stroke services for patients, including access to emergency care 24/7 and specialist rehabilitation support.

Stacey Hunter, the trust's director of operations, said: "There is variation in the quality and provision of stroke services across Bradford and Airedale, as there is throughout West Yorkshire as a whole, which is why we are reviewing stroke care.

"It is vital that we provide services which not only support our patients' needs, but also give them the best possible outcomes.

"Having a stroke is life changing, not only for patients but also for their families, and our main priority is improving the quality of care to support them."

She added that issues being examined by the partners include a national shortage of stroke consultants, seven-day access to services such as scans and specialist treatment, and nursing and therapy support.

The review is expected to last another three months.