NEW Forest health chiefs have backtracked on bed closure plans after a district wide campaign.

But despite yesterday's announcement, some of those fighting to keep their community hospitals open consider it a stay of execution.

New Forest Primary Care Trust proposed closing beds in hospitals in Fording-bridge, Milford, Lyndhurst, Hythe and, with the Test Valley trust, Romsey, and instead providing care in patient's homes or community buildings.

The trust needs to clawback £27 million but said the changes were to improve patient care.

Thousands of concerned people who packed consul-tation meetings held by the New Forest PCT were unconvinced. A protest march was held and a petition containing 40,000 signatures presented to the PCT.

Its chief executive John Richards has now said: "People can now be confi-dent that the hospitals will be saved, services will be improved and the PCT will take this forward with the active engagement of local clinicians and communities.

"We have listened and learned and now we are changing our plans.

"This means we will not propose any further bed closures at present and option two - which suggested closure of all community hospitals beds - will be dropped.

"It is our intention to create a new plan for the development of services for local people and we will continue to work with practices and local groups to draw up proposals for developing more local services."

The PCT now says it will develop community nursing teams offering a range of services designed to complement those offered at GP surgeries.

The temporarily closed Fenwick Hospital at Lynd-hurst will remain shut until the end of the financial year.

Some hospitals could be developed as centres of excellence, provide specialist clinics and other nurse-led services.

Forest MPs Desmond Swayne and Julian Lewis urged caution.

Mr Swayne said: "Keeping the hospitals but not being able to guarantee any beds after this financial year is completely unacceptable as far as I am concerned."

However, Milford parish councillor Sue Whitlock who is a member of Milford Hospital Action Group, was more upbeat.

"I welcome the positive result of the PCT's thinking and we're delighted to know the community hospitals have a future and are looking forward to talking about the role of the hospital."

First published: October 28