HEALTH chiefs have allocated extra time for the consultation over the future of Milford Hospital so they can carefully examine all possible options which may save the hospital. The consultation over the future of the rehabilitation hospital has already been extended once, but the Guildford and Waverley Primary Care Trust, which runs the hospital, has now extended it until May 27 next year. The trust has said that feedback from the consultation, which began on October 1, has provided it with an enormous amount of extremely useful information. As previously reported by The Herald, the PCT originally planned to close the hospital and "relocate" its rehabilitation beds and services to Haslemere, Farnham, Royal Surrey and Cranleigh hospitals. This included its 50 rehabilitation beds and 10 orthopaedic beds. It formed part of a plan to use resources and money efficiently. However there has been a huge outcry throughout Waverley. The PCT said that during the consultation alternative proposals for re-providing the service have been put forward by campaigners, which need to be given more consideration along with the original plan. A supplementary information document providing further details has also been produced. "We are very grateful for the wide range of views and ideas we have received," chief executive Liz Slinn said. "We have carefully considered the options, which must now be fully appraised, and have decided to take some time to carry out a thorough analysis on each of them. "Following discussion with Surrey County Council's health scrutiny committee, we are now extending this consultation until the end of May 2005 in order to analyse the clinical and service implications of the alternative proposals, and undertake a full financial analysis." The PCT has said that the consultation will now have four distinct phases the first two being discussion and gathering opinions which has already taken place. The third phase, from January to February, will be a full financial option appraisal, detailed discussions with clinical colleagues about the various options. The forth and final phase will be from the end of February to May 27, when the PCT will carry out a consultation over its preferred option. An extraordinary PCT board meeting will then be held in public on June 30 where the final decision will be taken. "Our consultation has also dealt with the particular issue of 10 orthopaedic rehabilitation beds which were opened at Milford Hospital as a temporary measure two years ago," the chief executive said. "There is a separate section in the supplementary information document on our recommendations for these beds. This supplementary information document is for public consideration, and is intended to add to the original document with as much further information that we have from our non- financial option appraisal. "A full financial appraisal is part of our next step. We will not be making any public statements or holding meetings during this time as we will now take several weeks to do the detailed work described. "We will publish the results of that work at the beginning of phase four." Hospital campaigner Simon Cordon welcomed the news of the extended consultation period and was particularly pleased that the PCT was going to consider expanding the services on the site. "People may feel that this is going around in circles," he said. "The important thing to remember is that the PCT wanted to close the hospital on April 1. "We defeated that idea and now we have forced them to properly consider all options including expanding services at Milford. "I have always said that this would be a long and hard fight, but I ask people to stick with me when I say it is a fight we can win so long as we keep working hard and proving that there is overwhelming support, and a common-sense case, for keeping Milford Hospital. "I attended every one of the recent public consultation meetings. From Farnham to Haslemere, Cranleigh to Guildford, and of course in Godalming and Milford itself, there is no support for closing Milford Hospital. Everyone says keep it open." • Copies of the supplementary information document are being sent to all individuals and organisations who received the initial consultation document, and to those who have responded during the first two phases of the consultation. Copies are also being placed in libraries and other public places, and it can be viewed on the PCT website http://www.gwpct.nhs.uk">www.gwpct.nhs.uk