LOCAL MP Jeremy Hunt has slammed health chiefs and branded their decision to formally consult on proposals to radically shake-up local health services as undemocratic. The future of hospital beds at Farnham Hospital is still in doubt after the board of the Guildford and Waverley Primary Care Trust (PCT) met in public last Thursday and decided to proceed with plans to launch a public consultation about the future of health services provided at Farnham, Haslemere, Milford and Cranleigh hospitals. The consultation document Modernising Your Local Healthcare outlines the PCT's five options for the future of locally-based health services, including specific proposals relating to the way it wishes to develop community services and hospitals. The proposals are being put forward as a solution to the financial crisis the PCT are facing. Due to a predicted £6.2 overspend on its annual budget, the PCT argues that bed closures in hospitals across the Waverley borough are a necessary cost-cutting measure as it bids to achieve its £10 million control cost target so it can avoid starting the next financial year with a possible debt of £26 million. Jane Dale, interim chief executive of the PCT, said: "We are expected to balance our financial position and we must hit our £10 million control target. We only have a limited amount of money to spend on health care and we want to ensure that we provide services in the most cost effective way as possible." In the five options unveiled by the PCT at the meeting, a day hospital service and out- patient facilities will be available at Farnham hospital in all five options but three of the options would see all the beds at Haslemere Hospital closed. The closure of Milford Hospital is proposed in four of the options which would result in the transfer of 42 rehabilitation beds to Farnham in one option and the beds being shared between Farnham and the Royal Surrey County Hospital in another option. If Milford Hospital is saved then it will share specialist rehabilitation services with Farnham that will see beds split between the two hospitals. The proposals are part of a major cull of beds by PCT with the current 172 axed to between 137 and 140 depending on each option. With 10 beds at Farnham Hospital having been already closed on a "temporary basis", the PCT's further cost cutting measures as unveiled in their five options has provoked criticism from local officials. As reported in last week's edition of The Herald, South West Surrey MP Jeremy Hunt reacted angrily when an alternative option to the bed closures put forward by the Cross Community Group (CCG) was rejected by the PCT because it was not "financially viable". "While I understand that the PCT has a statutory duty to balance its books, I am deeply shocked that the PCT has rushed into its consultation with a view to closing beds and hospitals come what may," he said. "This is a consultation process in name-only – like elections in the old Soviet Union, there can be only one outcome. "The CCG put together an option for the PCT that would keep each community hospital open while allowing flexibility in the type of care it provided. It also suggested a number of ways for the PCT to save money to make it financially viable. Sadly, the PCT chose to ignore our option, even though it was directly in line with the NHS local strategy to treat more people nearer their homes."

• Primary Care Trust's public consultation will start on December 1 and will run until February 28, 2006. The following five options have been proposed:

One: Closure of Milford Hospital and re- provision of 42 rehabilitation beds to Farnham and other services to other hospitals. Overall reduction of beds from 172 to 139, with all beds in Cranleigh to close. Day hospitals in Farnham, Haslemere and Guildford. Diagnostic and outpatient services at Farnham, Haslemere, Godalming, Cranleigh and Guildford. Two: Closure of Milford Hospital and re- provision of 42 rehabilitation beds to the Royal Surrey Hospital in Guildford and other services to other hospitals. Overall reduction of beds from 172 to 140, with all beds at Haslemere and Cranleigh to close. Day hospitals in Farnham, Haslemere and Guildford. Diagnostic and outpatient services at Farnham, Haslemere, Godalming, Cranleigh and Guildford. Three: Closure of Milford Hospital and re- provision of 42 rehabilitation beds to Farnham and the Royal Surrey and other services to other hospitals. Overall reduction of beds from 172 to 139, with Cranleigh to close. Day hospitals in Haslemere, Farnham and Guildford. Diagnostic and outpatient services at Farnham, Haslemere, Godalming, Cranleigh and Guildford. Four: Closure of Milford Hospital and re- provision of 42 rehabilitation beds to Farnham and the Royal Surrey and other services to other hospitals. Overall reduction of beds from 172 to 137 with all beds at Haslemere to close. Day hospitals in Farnham, Haslemere, Godalming, Cranleigh and Guildford. Five: Specialist rehabilitation services and beds split between Farnham and Milford hospitals. Overall reduction of beds from 172 to 139 with all beds at Haslemere and Cranleigh to close. Day hospitals at Farnham, Milford and Guildford. Diagnostic and outpatient services at Farnham, Haslemere, Milford, Cranleigh and Guildford.

Public meeting to discuss these options have also been organised at: Farnham Maltings, Farnham, December 19, 2 pm St Saviour's Church, Woodbrige Road, Guildford, January 24, 10-30 am