NORTH Wiltshire MP James Gray has strongly attacked proposals that spell the virtual shutdown of Malmesbury Hospital.

Mr Gray said he was deeply concerned at Kennet and North Wiltshire Primary Care Trust's bid to cut the number of outpatient services from 27 to eight and close the maternity unit.

Speaking after a trust consultation meeting at Wootton Bassett last week he said: "The health service is seeking to dress up this closure as some kind of improvement in health care available to people in Malmesbury and the

surrounding area, which is nonsense.

"If the hospital closes as proposed, the people of Malmesbury will receive worse health care not better."

The trust is struggling with a £10m deficit and revealed proposals earlier this year it said would save money, improve care and provide a more equitable service across its area.

If the Malmesbury recommendations are adopted at a board meeting next month, outpatient services would be slashed, including X-ray, ear, nose and throat, and general and oral surgery.

Many clinics will be moved to Chippenham or the district general hospitals in Bath and Swindon meaning a significant increase in journey time and cost for patients.

The award winning maternity unit also faces the axe with ante natal, birthing and postnatal care consolidated within the Chippenham unit leaving Malmesbury with just home visiting midwives.

Mr Gray said the trust's arguments were flawed.

He said: "They have advanced an old chestnut that because places like Corsham and Wootton Bassett do not have a community hospital, there is some kind of unfairness about that and that a good solution would therefore be to close Malmesbury.

"There is no logic of any kind in that and I was astonished to hear officials advance it in public."

Last week Malmesbury Hospital Project Board revealed plans for a new hospital at its present site of Burton Hill. The £10m scheme has left space for all outpatient services and a maternity unit, pending the trust's decision.