CONCERNS that the future of Bordon's Chase Community Hospital could be threatened by the under use of its facilities have been allayed. At the meeting, Hamp-shire county councillor Adam Carew, GPs and representatives from the Hampshire Primary Care Trust (PCT) discussed, with members of the community and the hospital's League of Friends, improving hospital services and progress on other issues. The April 25 meeting followed a workshop earlier in the year, when the PCT heard local concerns that facilities and equipment were under utilised and staffing levels were low. At the recent meeting, proposals for new services at the hospital were discussed. In addition, the PCT reported on the recruitment of new inpatient-services staff and progress with developing the clinical skills of existing staff to meet the changing needs of the population. Councillor Carew said: "I set up these meetings between the local community and the PCT two years ago, following concerns about under utilisation of the Chase Hospital. "They provide a critical dialogue between healthcare providers and the local community and we meet roughly every six months to review progress. We are all keen to see the Chase go from strength to strength, and I am very grateful to the PCT and local representatives for their input." Cath Smith, the county council's head of adult care services for North Hamp-shire, said: "Since our meeting last year, a lot of effort has gone into working with local partners and practice-based commissioners to respond to local community needs. I am confident that, because of the joint working, we will see a number of new initiatives at Chase in the months ahead." The president of the Chase Hospital League of Friends, Yvonne Parker-Smith, said: "The league will watch the developments with keen interest. The hospital is still under utilised, but things are improving slowly. These regular meetings are bringing the focus back to the hospital. "It's an invaluable facility for local people and is far more accessible than Basin-gstoke. There should be more clinics in the local area, but slowly and surely Chase Hospital is becoming increasingly well used. "Last year, the PCT went through some changes, and the hospital was affected by the change in provider. Now that the PCT has got its own house in order and, as the situation settles down, we are sure that the Chase can continue to improve."
