LYMINGTON'S new £36m hospital opened its doors to the public today.
It is set to become first in the country to be run by a private company.
Existing patients were last week moved from the old Lymington hospital into the new 107-bed three-storey facility on the Ampress business park.
About 400 staff will work at the six ward hospital, which has been dubbed a "one stop shop".
Partnership Health Group (PHG), a private company, has been announced by the government as the preferred bidder to run all services at the hospital from July in the first scheme of its kind in the country.
Hampshire Primary Care Trust will run it until then.
The move aims to cut waiting lists so the NHS trust can meet the government's target of all NHS patients being treated within 18 weeks of a GP referral by 2008.
But Unison, the union, has condemned the decision to involve a private company, claiming it could mark the start of a "seismic shift" towards the privatisation of the NHS.
The hospital will treat about 45,000 patients a year through its 8am to 10pm minor injures unit, outpatient clinics and diagnostic treatment centre, which will carry fast, pre-booked day and short-stay surgery such as cataract removal, hip and knee replacements and hernia repair.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article