PARISH leaders have accused New Forest health bosses of deliberately running down a popular cottage hospital to make it easier to close.

Members of Lyndhurst Parish Council have demanded to know why the Fenwick Hospital was allowed to deteriorate to the point where all 20 beds were shut for patient safety reasons.

The hospital has served Lyndhurst and the surrounding districts since 1908 when it was purpose built "to the glory of God and for the benefit of the suffering poor of Lyndhurst and neighbourhood".

Health chiefs were grilled by concerned parish leaders at a meeting of the parish council. Lyndhurst Parish Council chairman George Bisson said: "From personal experience I have noticed there was what I saw to be a falling in care and safety at the Fenwick.

"It makes me wonder whether this was a deliberate move. Why was it allowed to deteriorate over a period of time? I wonder if it was because something was in the offing?"

Vice-chairman John Drew added: "To me it sounds very much like the Fenwick will close when the new hospital at Lymington opens. In this area we have a lot of elderly people and it is not easy for them to get to Lymington."

Yvonne Le Brun, deputy chief executive of the South West Hampshire Primary Care Trust Alliance, said the closure had been made because of patient safety concerns across the Forest's five community hospitals, especially at the Fenwick.

The PCT's overspend currently stands at £9.8m and in order to pay it off it must find £20m of savings in the next financial year.

"We are required to provide a balanced budget at the end of the financial year and what we don't provide this year will be carried on to next year," said Mrs Le Brun.

The drastic decision was taken after bosses imposed restrictions on employing bank and agency staff to save money.

As a result there was not enough staff to cover the wards at the New Forest's five community hospitals - at Hythe, Milford, Fordingbridge, Romsey and Lyndhurst - and so the Fenwick was chosen to close.

Mrs Le Brun said that the PCT would save around £40,000 by closing the beds at the Fenwick.

It was stressed that the closure was a temporary measure and at least three months of public consultation will now be conducted to decide the future of all of the community hospitals.

The Fenwick's outpatient department and rehabilitation services remain open.