TWO public meetings are being held in Devizes to discuss the threats to the community hospital.

The Devizes Guardians are holding a public meeting on Tuesday at the Corn Exchange at 7.30pm.

The Guardians have invited a representative from the Kennet and North Wiltshire Primary Care Trust to attend the meeting but have been told that no one is available.

Tony Duck, the chairman of the Guardians, said: "I am hopeful that the PCT will send somebody, although I have not had the courtesy of a reply from them.

"I believe they don't want to attend because they don't want a forum where the public can give their views. They want a forum which they control, as they did in the workshop they held in Devizes recently."

The Guardians have been urged to drop their public meeting by some town councillors as the town council is holding a public meeting on April 1 at the Corn Exchange at 7.45pm.

The town council expects the Primary Care Trust's proposals to be available for its meeting so the public can comment on them.

Mr Duck said: "We have put a series of questions to the PCT about the existing services and the cost of running them and I am hoping we will have the answers."

The trust is expecting to publish its proposals outlining cuts and changes to services on March 31.

It is holding two public workshops on April 4 at the Corn Exchange. These will run from 9.30am to noon and 7pm to 9.30pm.

The deadline for public consultation has been extended to the end of April and decisions on cuts will be taken by the trust at a board meeting on May 22.

l Devizes health campaigner Maurice Came is urging people to write to the Primary Care Trust calling for the plan to build a new hospital on land at Green Lane to go ahead.

The project has been put on hold while the trust sorts out its financial problems.

Mr Came said a new hospital at Green Lane was the only viable option to retain services in Devizes.

He said: "A new hospital would offer greater flexibility in the use of wards and beds and modern facilities should guarantee more clinics, improve staff morale and attract new staff."