CHEATED, deceived and misled. Those were the charges laid against health chiefs by Gosport councillors who spoke out on the way residents have been let down during a health care shake-up.

Borough councillors have thrown their full support behind plans for an independent review into proposals by Fareham and Gosport Primary Care Trust (PCT) for an overhaul of NHS services in the two towns.

They want a rethink on whether facilities and equipment at Haslar can be used to reduce the escalating costs of rebuilding Queen Alexandra (QA) Hospital.

Councillor Peter Edgar said: "We have some eminent specialists on the Haslar Task Force and our aim has always been to see the best health care provision possible provided.

"We recognise that some of that care must be at QA and a vast amount of money is required to update and expand facilities.

"But it is criminal to waste money by simply disposing of equipment and facilities in perfect working order at the much-loved Royal Hospital Haslar in order to then recreate the same again on the QA site. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

"We wholly support the redevelopment, but not when money is being wasted at the expense of local people.

"We feel cheated, deceived and misled. We urge them to think again."

The cost of rebuilding the area's main hospital at Cosham, near Portsmouth, has escalated from £73m to more than £200m in the past three years.

It will be up to a year late opening with all facilities now expected to be available by summer 2008.

Pat Forsyth, spokeswoman for Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust, said: "We don't actually have a lot of equipment down there.

"Whatever is still serviceable and useable will be brought to QA. The majority of equipment at Haslar belongs to the MoD.

The MoD has confirmed it is simply maintaining equipment which will come to the end of its life as it leaves the Haslar site.

Health bosses are considering the closure of Haslar hospital as future health care in Fareham and Gosport is considered.

They believe expanding Gosport War Memorial Hospital and building a new Fareham Community Hospital at Coldeast in Sarisbury would be less costly.