SAVE Haslar campaigners have launched a fresh protest against plans to close the hospital after it received national recognition as a specialist hospital.

A total of 23 fast-track treatment centres, including the one at Haslar in Gosport, have been singled out for special praise in a government report.

Peter Edgar, spokesman for the Save Haslar Task Force, branded the threat to close Haslar as ridiculous in light of the national accolade.

He said: "We clearly have one of the best facilities in the country and the government could shut it down. What do we have to do to prove to them that it needs to stay open? It's a ridiculous situation.

"This is probably one of the most successful treatment centres in the country and they are going to shut it so they can build one somewhere else.

"There is an excellent day surgery unit there. It's a waste of public money to shut it down. It could be used to take the pressure off QA with the massive escalating demand.

"Now it's been an outstanding success, it's going to be one of the only ones closed down."

Haslar was singled out in a report this week by health secretary John Reid.

Another 23 treatment centres are being planned because of the success of existing ones.

They specialise in particular operations and have increased speed and quality of treatment.

Treatment centres deal with planned elective operations not accident and emergency cases or acute surgery.

Haslar is due to close in 2007 because it is no longer viable.

A series of public meetings around Fareham and Gosport are being held so patients can air their views on the future of health care provision in the area.