Airedale General Hospital

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Airedale General Hospital is an NHS district General Hospital based in Steeton with Eastburn, West Yorkshire, England and is operated by the Airedale NHS Foundation Trust. Airedale was opened for patients in July 1970 and officially opened by the Prince of Wales on 11 December of the same year. The hospital covers a wide area including Keighley, Skipton, Yorkshire Dales and parts of the North York Moors. The hospital has links for Neurosurgical emergencies with Leeds General Infirmary.HistoryThe hospital was planned as far back as 1963 with many sites being optioned including Silsden and also a site nearer to Skipton. Building work was initiated in 1966 to a plan by renowned and then disgraced architect John Garlick Llewellyn Poulson. His later trial had nothing to do with his designs for Airedale Hospital.The original estimate for the construction of the 32 acre site was £4.5 million including equipment. This was later revised to £5 million in 1967. The hospital, with an initial designation of 650 beds, was due to open in 1969, but was eventually opened in stages starting in July 1970.Upon opening, it was revealed that it would actually house 643 beds and have an eventual cost of £5.4 million. The maternity ward opened on 6 July 1970, after the main sections of the hospital, with the first birth being on the 7 July 1970. The opening of Airedale spelt the end for some of the older hospitals in the area, namely Keighley Victoria, St Johns and Mortons Bank. These all closed in 1970 on transfer of patients to the new facility.