Bosses quizzed on plans for hospital

Members of the public were able to see for themselves proposals for the Andover War Memorial Hospital and quiz Winchester and Eastleigh Health Care Trust chief executive Chris Evennett and other directors.

But campaigner Derek Robinson, who is dying of cancer, was also there with his own stall calling for a Question Time-style open forum.

He said: "From our point of view it went exactly as we thought, although there was much greater interest in terms of the public supporting the Question Time-style evening."

More than 100 people signed a form calling for the meeting and Mr Robinson has now arranged for a meeting to take place at Andover Baptist Church on 16 August starting at 7pm.

Health chiefs were also pleased with the turnout for the open day, which ran from 1pm to 7pm.

They explained they wanted to provide new accommodation for outpatients, the Birth Centre and diagnostic services by reducing the size of the Andover site and using money from land sales to fund new facilities.

One of the proposed changes involves abandoning expensive general anaesthetic work at the day surgery unit and concentrating instead on local anaesthetic work and endoscopy. People needing day surgery with general anaesthetic who are currently treated in Andover - about 350 a year - will be treated at the new Treatment Centre Winchester.

Visitors to the open day were also able to see why the trust plans to cut the number of beds at Andover by 22, leaving 30 instead of 52.

Reasons given were recent investment in community rehabilitation, the opening of Willow Court nursing home on site and better discharge procedure.

This week's event was the start of consultation process with the public before final decisions are made.

Anyone wishing to attend the meeting at Andover Baptist Church is requested to contact Mr Robinson for a free ticket at his home address: 6 Michaelmas Drove, Weyhill, Andover SP11 8DR or phone him on 01264 771818, as space is limited.