A senior nurse has warned patient care could be jeopardised unless staffing levels at Wharfedale Hospital are increased now.

Senior charge nurse and ward manager Sandy Lay, in a letter leaked to this newspaper, raises “very serious concerns” about the nursing numbers on his ward, the elderly ward.

Mr Lay, writing to Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust’s (LTHT) acute medicine matron Alison Raycraft, asks for ward 1’s current staffing levels to be entered on to the trust’s risk register – and warns the ward will be “considerably” under-staffed within three months.

He goes on to demand assurances about the long-term future of ward 1 and to warn that bed numbers may have to be reduced.

He writes: “Since ward 1 became part of the elderly medicine directorate I have been increasingly concerned about the reduction of staff. Since November I have seen a considerable reduction in staff with no decision taken whether to replace them.

“Our shortages are neither a result of poor resource management nor other factors such as long or short-term sickness and study leave.

“I will be considerably short of staff come September. More worrying still is the knowledge that based on current registered nurse (RN) numbers, should an RN go sick the ward will be left with only one RN on shift.

“This, you must agree, must not be allowed to happen for a number of reasons, these include: an unacceptable risk of undue harm to patients; it is unacceptable for one registered nurse to care for 24 patients; our remoteness to main site support.

“It is clear a resolution needs to be found for ward 1 urgently and that for the sake of my patients a short-term plan should be instigated.”

Among his demands is that discussions take place concerning employing more staff as soon as possible.

Nurse Lay continues: “At this point I am not requesting a reduction in the number of beds, however, I am concerned that should the need arise I will be left with no option professionally but to ask for this.

“Please be aware this is not an option I wish for and, should this occur, I will make it very clear I was left with no choice as the safety of all patients must be paramount.

“As one of the senior nurses at Wharfedale please can I remind you of the very strong public and political opposition to any closure of wards or beds.

“Please can I ask that LTHT ascertains the long-term future of ward 1 as continuing uncertainty only acts to destabilise and demoralise staff who feel ward 1 could and should play a part in the future of LTHT.”

LTHT insists staffing levels on the ward are adequate, but Leeds North West MP Greg Mulholland has written to LTHT chief executive Maggie Boyle demanding immediate action.

He wrote: “You know this will once again raise real concerns about the future of the hospital as a genuine community hospital. I hope by dealing with the current and unacceptable staff shortage and by confirming the future of ward 1 and all the beds there, that you will be able to allay those justifiable concerns.”

He said: “For senior members of staff to be raising concerns about staffing levels which could actually put patients at risk is very serious.

“This is why we need the Support Wharfedale Hospital campaign to keep the pressure on health chiefs to maintain services at our hospital. Everyone in the area needs to support that so local people cannot be ignored as they were so spectacularly when a ward was closed in 2006.”

A LTHT spokesman said: “We take the care and safety of our patients extremely seriously and encourage all our nursing staff to raise any concerns or questions they might have about the quality of care being provided with their matron.

“Last week the senior divisional nurse and a matron assessed ward 1 at Wharfedale following a concern raised by a member of staff about staffing levels. They concluded levels are safe and appropriate for this ward. “Analysis of staffing figures is a complex matter because they are affected by changes in the number of beds, shift patterns and rota coverage, changes to the way care is provided and the availability of other clinical professionals.

“Our commitment to Wharfedale Hospital has not changed. We continue to make the best possible use of the outstanding facilities and excellent clinical teams there.”