AFTER years of uncertainty, the axe looks set to fall on Bishopstoke's Mount Hospital following a "landmark agreement" reached by health bosses.

A campaign had been launched to safeguard facilities and services currently offered at The Mount in the wake of health trust proposals to switch 36 beds to Winchester's Royal Hampshire County Hospital.

In June, villagers were told at a meeting called by the parish council there would be full consultation before any decisions were taken about the future of one of the prime sites in the village. Now, a statement issued jointly by Eastleigh and Test Valley South Primary Care Trust, Mid Hampshire Primary Care Trust and Winchester and Eastleigh Healthcare NHS Trust has signalled the end for the hospital. Its buildings have been described as being past their sell-by date.

The agreement makes Eastleigh and Test Valley South and Mid Hampshire Primary Care Trusts responsible for working with local people to develop a range of new services to replace those provided by The Mount.

The joint statement says that the hospital site will eventually be sold and the money ploughed back into local healthcare, including the development of new surgical services in Winchester.

Health chiefs say a recent analysis of patients cared for in The Mount revealed 85 per cent could have been discharged if only alternatives to hospital care had been available.

John Richards, chief executive of the Eastleigh and Test Valley South Primary Care Trust, explained: "This new agreement sets out very clearly how we'll go about ensuring that we offer a range of alternative services to suit people's changing needs today. "Research shows that people benefit most from community-based 'intermediate care' services.

"This means things like home-based rehabilitation, specially designed housing with intensive care support and 'nurse-led' beds - all with the support of a community physician specialising in the care of the elderly."

The joint statement says the agreement "guarantees" that the services will be provided locally in the northern part of Eastleigh.

A number of possible locations are currently being examined. Public consultation is anticipated to get under way early in 2004 and, if approved, the new services could be in place as early as summer 2005.

Eastleigh MP David Chidgey has said that as a first priority, local residents must be fully consulted and their views respected, before the new proposals become "set in stone."

He said: "An improvement in health service provision, particularly for elderly residents, would be welcome.

"But it is for the NHS Trusts to put up a convincing case to reassure the public that this will happen.

"Just as important is an assurance that full funding and resources will be available to ensure that these services will actually be delivered to the people who need them."

Mr Chidgey also said he was calling on the secretary of state for health to give an "absolute assurance" that his department would ensure that planned new and replacement health services would recognise the concerns of local people and be fully in place before any facilities were wound down.