Airedale Hospital is continuing to investigate ways of coping with high demand for its accident and emergency service.

The latest monthly staff update, issued by Airedale NHS Foundation Trust chief executive Bridget Fletcher, noted the hospital was still experiencing pressure on its target of seeing and treating 98 per cent of its A&E patients within four hours.

The report noted the national target for A&E patients was 95 per cent within four hours – which Airedale is managing to attain.

Other updates included:

  • Some clinical staff at the hospital took part in national industrial action called by the British Medical Association on June 21.
  • Work to determine the future of Airedale’s laundry is expected to take at least three months, according to the staff report.

In May the hospital’s board of directors approved a recommendation to examine two options for the laundry in detail – one of which would involve a reduced in-house laundry service and the other a tendering process for a partially outsourced operation.

Union leaders have previously warned that 36 jobs are under threat at the 42-year-old facility. A campaign to save the jobs is being conducted by Unison, the GMB union and Keighley Trades Union Council.

  • Airedale’s maternity team has won an award from the Yorkshire and Humber Health Innovation and Education Cluster for its work on admitting women in labour.