A major £1 million investment and expansion of services have been unveiled for Haslemere Hospital in a landmark boost for local healthcare – following years of uncertainty over its future.

Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust announced the plans after concern over reduced services and vacant ward space prompted a public engagement exercise last year.

At the centre of the changes is a new long-term conditions hub launching in June, initially focused on cardiology and heart failure, supporting around 50 patients a week with scope to expand over time.

The investment will also fund refurbishment of former ward areas, enabling more outpatient clinics and day services on site. Plans have been developed with local groups, including the Haslemere Hospital League of Friends, as part of a shift towards neighbourhood-based care.

Martin Coakley, a member of the Haslemere Hospital Transformation Group and the Haslemere Hospital League of Friends, said: “We welcome these developments, which will strengthen and confirm the hospital as a healthcare hub for residents for many years to come.”

Louise Stead, the trust’s chief executive, said: “These plans reflect what the community has said matters most and align closely with the wider direction of the NHS, supporting neighbourhood health and helping people to live well within their local communities, while reducing reliance on hospital-based care.”

MP Greg Stafford said: “This is a major vote of confidence in Haslemere Hospital.

“It is very encouraging to see that sustained effort now translating into real investment and new services on the ground. It is crucial that this momentum continues.”

Community campaigner Alex Page said: “Improving local diagnostic and healthcare provision sounds like a worthy exchange for the loss of the wards.

“But the key questions from the public engagement sessions – what is being lost, what will replace it, and how it will be funded – remain unanswered.”