HAMPSHIRE health chiefs could refer the decision to close the Royal Hospital Haslar to the Secretary of State for Health next week.

Members of the county's health review committee have already issued the strongest indication yet that the Gosport hospital could be retained by revealing they have serious concerns over whether decisions made on future healthcare in Fareham and Gosport are in the interests of patients.

They will decide next Tuesday whether Fareham and Gosport Primary Care Trust (PCT) has addressed residents' fears over the overhaul of services in the two towns.

If not, the committee could ask for more action from the PCT, order a formal select committee to further examine the decision, request the a government panel to informally assess the change or make a formal referral to Health Secretary Dr John Reid.

Committee chairman Ray Ellis said: "As a committee we have a major responsibility to ensure that the right decision is taken for the right reasons. We also need to be certain that people have been listened to.

"This is a complex and emotive issue and the committee will be fully considering the facts to determine what steps it should now take."

What was thought to have been the death knell for Haslar was sounded in December, but PCT bosses maintain that building community hospitals as the hub of services in both towns is the best way forward.

They say retaining hospital services on part of the Haslar site would be almost twice as costly and services would suffer.