Safe and sound

The hospital appears to have survived a raft of cost cutting measures being introduced by the Kennet and North Wiltshire Primary Care Trust as it struggles to save £10 million.

But community hospitals in Devizes and Malmesbury, which originally feared they would lose their maternity units, look like they will be closed altogether and the land sold off.

The trust, which has been taking soundings on possible cost cuts since January, finally brought an end to speculation on Monday when it unveiled its 'key ideas' to the media.

Chief executive Barbara Smith refused to confirm that Devizes and Malmesbury hospitals would close.

But she hinted that the trust was inclined to concentrate services on community hospitals at Savernake and Chippenham, which would serve as satellites to Swindon's Great Western and Bath's Royal United hospitals respectively.

This should not only assure that the £10 million project to build a replacement for Savernake goes ahead as planned, but should also mean its minor injuries unit remains open.

Marlborough town councillor Peggy Dow was delighted at the news.

Coun Dow, who is a seasoned campaigner for keeping Savernake as a working hospital, said: "If that is the case it's marvellous, there is no other word.

"For the many hundreds of people who live in Marlborough and around it, it will mean we will still have our own hospital and our own facilities."

But Marlborough mother-of-two Eleanor Christmas, who has been campaigning to keep the Devizes maternity unit open, said its loss would be felt right across the district.

Mrs Christmas, of Laineys Close, whose younger child Tess was born at the Devizes maternity unit 14 months ago, said she was pleased to hear that Savernake Hospital had an assured future.

She added: "Saving Savernake does not make up for losing Devizes.

"It is shocking that they can decide to close Devizes when it is such a popular and well used hospital. What confidence can we have in their promises that they will keep Savernake open?"

Mrs Christmas, a junior school teacher, had written to Health Secretary Alan Milburn earlier in the week telling him of the importance of keeping the Devizes maternity unit open to give mothers in the Marlborough area a choice besides the Great Western Hospital.

She said: "The implication is that, of the four hospitals in Chippenham, Malmesbury, Devizes and Marlborough, that Chippenham will be the only maternity services provider unless it is in their plans to re-open the maternity unit at Savernake."

Marlborough Mayor Margaret Boulton said she was thrilled that Savernake Hospital appeared to have a guaranteed future.

She has called a public meeting in the town hall on March 24 at 7.30pm to gather support for not only retaining Savernake but also increasing its services.

Yesterday Coun Boulton said she was sorry to hear that the hospitals in Devizes and Malmesbury would probably close.

She said there was still a great need for people to attend the March 24 meeting to demonstrate their support for Savernake.

Coun Boulton, who is a former nurse, said: "We want as many there as possible to show that the people of this area not only want Savernake to stay but also want to see its services improved."

It's hoped that speakers at the meeting will include the Mrs Smith, the new Savernake Hospital project manager Peter Williams, members of the trust and former Marlborough GP Dr Nick Maurice.

Coun Boulton said she would support any move towards seeing the maternity unit at Savernake, which was closed in 1987 because of staffing difficulties, re-opened as part of the proposed new hospital.

She said if the Devizes maternity unit closed, the only alternative to the Great Western Hospital would be at Chippenham, which has no direct public transport links with the Marlborough area.

Coun Boulton added: "I want this meeting to be so well attended that the primary care trust is in no doubt whatsoever over the strength of feeling in Marlborough and the area that Savernake Hospital is an essential part of our lives and must continue to be so.

"We know that the new Great Western Hospital is seriously oversubscribed so therefore the future of Savernake Hospital is even more important.

"We have to make sure the best facilities at Savernake Hospital are retained and, if possible, improved upon."

Over the years Savernake Hospital has regularly and repeatedly been the victim of health service cuts and has been reduced to basically a day hospital with an old age psychiatry ward and a well-used minor injuries unit.

More recently the hospital has lost its operating theatres, although it has retained an X-ray unit.

More and more mothers from the Marlborough area have opted to have their babies at the Devizes Hospital.

Some mothers from Marlborough took part in the recent march through Devizes that was held to protest at any likelihood of its closure.