PLANS for a new pioneering 24-bed ward at the Chase Community Hospital have been given the go ahead - as long as the local NHS watchdog does not object.

However, calls for guarantees over the future use of the hospital have been dismissed by some health bosses as unnecessary and impractical.

Health chiefs at the newly created Hampshire and Isle of Wight Health Authority met in Portsmouth on Tuesday to discuss the proposals put forward by the North Hampshire Primary Care Trust (NHPCT).

Under the plans the 16-bed MacIlwain ward at the Bordon hospital will be refurbished and will house 12 intermediate care beds and 12 nursing home beds.

The plans were drawn up to help the NHPCT save money and to help social services find additional affordable nursing home beds.

It is believed to be the first such joint scheme in the country and allows a degree of flexibility with the hospital able to use the 24 beds to meet its needs.

At Tuesday's meeting, the health authority heard that 114 letters had been sent to the authority - the large majority (92 per cent) of which were generally supportive of the plans.

However, that figure includes 72 per cent of letters which were sent supporting the plans with reservations and concerns about the future of the hospital.

Chairman of the NHPCT Tony Ludlow explained to the health authority that Bordon residents were "anxious that the hospital might be converted into a nursing home by the back door" because of the flexible use of the beds.

He also told health chiefs that there were also some concern that once the ward was closed for the refurbishment it would never open again.

Chief officer of the local community health council, which acts as a patient watchdog, Paul Mitchell also emphasised to the authority that residents in the Bordon area were "suspicious and mistrusted" health chiefs.

The authority heard that the recommendation to the CHC, which was due to meet on Wednesday night after The Herald went to press, was to support the proposals with a list of conditions.

One of the conditions was that the ward be designed so that at least eight of the beds are always used as intermediate care beds for local residents.

This could be achieved if the ward included two four-bedded bays which could not be registered as nursing home beds.

However some board members felt that such measures were unnecessary and impractical.

Director of policy and performance management Eileen Spiller said: "The only thing that I am not particularly happy about is that the use of the beds would be limited.

"I think that we need to have single rooms which would be the best practice for the future.

"I don't think that it is good design or good practice to take these measures to allay the suspicion of the public."

Non-executive director Michael Smith agreed with her sentiments and said that a longer-term view had to be taken about the future use of the hospital.

He said that he would hate a new ward to be designed which would become obsolete and could not be converted for a new use in years to come.

"I would prefer a multi-use and a greater flexibility of the beds'" he said.

"It is not sinister it is just prudent spending of public finances."

Director of public health Simon Tanner told the meeting that he understood local concerns and was himself concerned about the public's "lack of trust" over the Chase.

"We need to balance the community's needs and the use of the hospital as a community asset with the treatment of the patients," he said.

However Tony Ludlow and a member of a neighbouring CHC pointed out that having a ward with a large number of single rooms was not necessarily best for patients and required more staff than double or four-bedded units.

Mr Ludlow said: "For many, single rooms mean solitary confinement."

Chairman Peter Bingham said that while there could never be any long-term guarantees over the future use of the hospital, he believed that Bordon could breathe easily.

He said that because the Chase Community Hospital had recently secured £700,000 of government money to transform it into the first primary care diagnostic and treatment centre in the country, its future was "looking bright".

"That, if nothing else, secures the hospital's future."

Eileen Spiller also added that it if the hospital was well used by local residents, then there was nothing to fear.

The board unanimously approved the NHPCT's plans for the ward and will also pass on its comments about the design of the ward which has not yet been finalised.

p At the time The Herald went to press, the CHC was expected to endorse the recommendation to support the changes which will allow them to go ahead.

However, if it objects to the plans it could refer the matter to the Secretary of State who will have the final say.