Telemedicine technology successfully employed by Airedale Hospital to diagnose prison inmates via video link could be extended.

The move was revealed by Ann Wagner, director of strategy and business development with Airedale NHS Found-ation Trust, at a meeting of the parish council.

She was speaking during a debate about the hospital’s parking issues, adding that conducting routine appointments by video could help.

“Patients wouldn’t have to come in for routine concerns – there would be less patient traffic on site,” she said.

Currently, Airedale has 1,400 car parking spaces on site, 500 of which are for patients. However, the hospital also has a workforce of 2,500.

One issue raised by parish councillors concerned hospital staff avoiding a monthly £5 parking charge and instead using nearby Thornhill Road.

“There’s not a simple solution, and I’m sorry for your concerns,” said Mrs Wagner. “That’s a public road and we have no jurisdiction.”

She said she did not think a monthly £5 charge was unreasonable for parking compared with other hospitals.

Mrs Wagner also said Airedale was to undergo a “massive” rewiring scheme that would be carried out by contractors Interserve.

The work will be done over a two-year period, during which time the firm’s vehicles would be parking near Lyon Road.

In addition, the parish council had no objections to a planning application for the installation of two 20x8ft steel containers to be placed in the hospital services area of Airedale to provide temporary record storage in order to facilitate works for the electrical infrastructure replacement.