AS opposition mounts to the proposed merger of Surrey and Hampshire Ambulance Service, the former chairman of East Hampshire District Council has warned that it could be a "change for change's sake."

At a meeting on Tuesday night at which the latest proposal to merge the two county services was discussed, Squadron Leader Geoffrey Whittle said: "I don't see that joining up into larger organisations will enhance patient care.

He declared: "I'm beginning to see a lot of question marks coming up. We can change and improve services without amalgamating."

Squadron Leader Whittle, East Hampshire district councillor for Headley, voiced his concerns about the merger at the EHDC north-east area community committee meeting at Grayshott Village Hall.

Attended by several members of the public and Grayshott parish councillors, the meeting heard a presentation by the director of operations at Hampshire Ambulance, Gerry Wilkinson.

He outlined the reasons behind the proposals to modernise south eastern ambulance services to give a faster service and maximise resources for patient care.

Ferris Cowper, East Hampshire district councillor for Grayshott, spoke of his worries over slow response times by Hampshire Ambulance Service.

He said response times "were not remotely acceptable", referring to Hampshire's figure of a 38 per cent response rate to life-threatening situations within eight minutes last year.

He was not happy that although the eight-minute response times for emergencies were now at 65 per cent, they were still 10 per cent lower than the 75 per cent government target.

"What about a 100 per cent target? I don't think re-organising chairmen is going to do that," claimed Mr Cowper.

He added: "I suspect this reorganisation will amalgamate all the statistics so we will never know what Hampshire is doing, it will be Hampshire and Surrey."

Lindford's district councillor, Yvonne Parker Smith, was worried that Hampshire ambulance service could suffer if it was merged with Surrey.

"The M25 runs through Surrey; statistically I would imagine there are more callouts possibly for road accidents in Surrey.

"So if Hampshire and Surrey have one control centre, we could have scenarios where there's not much left for Hampshire."

Well-known former Grayshott GP Dr Martin McNicol believed the response rate for the rural county, was "quite fantastic".

He added: "I like the idea of using a computer to negotiate with hospital consultants, GPs and ambulances. It may be a step forward.

"If by three centres this can be improved, so much the better."

Mr Wilkinson, who has worked for the ambulance service for nearly 30 years, said the proposals had come about after it was agreed a new joint strategic vision was needed.

He said that within the proposals, Hampshire and Surrey would merge as one trust and Sussex and Kent as another.

Mr Wilkinson believed the proposed merger would be a chance to improve the service for patients.

"I am sure it will have an effect on the broader health care system, there could be savings in there that could be ploughed back into patient care," he said.

"No change is not an option. We would still have to change the way we work," Mr Wilkinson told the meeting.

Last week local MP Virginia Bottomley and Haslemere's Surrey county councillor Christine Stevens voiced their concerns about the proposed merger, following a poorly attended public consultation meeting in Haslemere.

Mrs Stevens claimed the merger proposals were a "done deal" which could lead to the loss of the town's 24-hour emergency ambulance and the eventual closure of Haslemere ambulance station.

Mrs Bottomley said: "There is now growing alarm about the proposed amalgamation with Hampshire.

"We demand safeguards that services will improve rather than deteriorate.

A public consultation meeting to give residents the opportunity to find out more about the proposals and comment on them will take place in Alton on Wednesday, July 25, at 7 pm in the Forum Hall at Alton College.