HASLEMERE campaigners have expressed fears that proposals to axe beds in Waverley are just the curtain raiser to major cuts in the borough's health services.

The Haslemere Hospital League of Friends has called for a "genuine consultation" over the future of the borough's health care and a real modernisation of services rather than cost cutting.

As previously reported by The Herald, health chiefs who run Waverley's hospitals and services have been ordered by the government to make savings to the tune of £16 million over the next two years.

A chunk of the money is to be saved through a shake-up of the community hospitals and rehabilitation services.

Five options are currently under consideration with three proposing that Haslemere loses all of its beds and all but one proposing the complete closure of Milford Hospital.

In a statement, the Friends criticised the Guildford and Waverley Primary Care Trust's consultation document called Modernising Your Local Healthcare.

It said that the document "is not a genuine consultation but just a prelude to large cuts in health services".

Friends' chairman Dr Nicky Lee explained that there was much anger at the fact that consideration is being given to closing beds at an efficient hospital forcing patients to travel miles for treatment.

She said that there are five acute hospital north of the Downs at Guildford, Frimley, Chertsey, Epsom and Ashford.

"There are none south of the Hogs Back, but there is an efficient community hospital at Haslemere," she said.

"Rather than modernise, the PCT proposals would remove facilities at Haslemere, while the imbalance in West Surrey should be addressed."

The League of Friends believe that Haslemere Hospital fills a huge gap in health care in the area and that beds are essential for those who do not need acute care at "some distant establishment".

Dr Lee said that the poor provision of health services in South West Surrey should be included as part of the consultation.

"We will be asking these questions at the consultation meeting in Haslemere on January 19," she said.

The Friends are also urging Haslemere residents to back their campaign and sign one of the petitions in the town's shops, GP surgeries and the hospital. Despite the criticism, a spokesman for the Primary Care Trust told The Herald that it was genuinely asking the community for its input over the consultation document.

"Guildford and Waverley Primary Care Trust's consultation, Modernising Your Local Healthcare, is a genuine consultation on the range of care we propose to develop in future, and we are committed to involving all stake holders in planning future services," she said.

"The Haslemere League of Friends will have the opportunity to discuss their views at the forthcoming public meetings, and these will be considered along with all the responses and feedback collected during the consultation."

There are three remaining public consultation meetings to take place in Waverley.

The first is on January 16, at Cranleigh Arts Centre at 6 pm, followed by the meeting in Haslemere Hall at 2 pm on January 19, with the final meeting taking place on January 24, in St Saviour's Church, Guildford, at 10-30 am.

Public consultation ends on February 28, with the decision being taken by the PCT's board on March 23.