MORE dentists and save Haslar! These issues have been the recurring themes in the largest health consultation ever conducted in the Fareham and Gosport area.

Public meetings of the Fareham and Gosport Primary Care Trust (PCT) have been oversubscribed with people desperate to express their concerns about future health provision in the area.

Today the PCT announced it would be holding four extra meetings to make sure as many people as possible can have their say.

Inger Hebden, the director of strategic development at the PCT, described the five meetings that have taken place so far as "very productive".

She said: "We have had the recurring issue of Haslar. There is a strong feeling about Haslar and we are quite happy to talk about this issue.

"We are prepared to discuss that but we are trying to talk about what we can provide locally.

"The point that has been hard to get over is why there cannot be a fully fledged district hospital serving a small population.

"People do also raise the issue of dentist provision."

When the Daily Echo asked people in Fareham what healthcare provision people would like to see many were concerned about the loss of the Royal Hospital Haslar in Gosport.

The closure is planned for March 31, 2007, but work on the redevelopment of the Queen Alexandra Hospital in Cosham has yet to begin.

Save Haslar Task Force spokesman Peter Edgar was so concerned by this that last week he called for a large-scale public meeting to allow people to have their say on the doomed hospital.

Results of the consultation process will be collated and presented to a public meeting of the PCT board on June 23 when it will be decided which options will receive full consultation.

A board meeting at the end of October will decide what services will be provided.

Remaining public meetings:

Tuesday, May 25, 7pm. Neville Lovett School, St Anne's Grove, Fareham.

Thursday, May 27, 2pm. Sarisbury Green Community Centre, The Green.

Wednesday, June 2, 2pm. St Faith's Parish Centre, Lee-on-the-Solent.

Thursday, June 3, 2pm. Crofton pub, Crofton Lane, Stubbington.

Monday, June 7, 7pm. HEDCA, Coombe Road, Gosport.

Tuesday, June 8, 9.30am. Nimrod Community Centre, Rowner.

Tuesday, June 8, 7pm. Fernham Hall, Fareham.

Tuesday, June 15, 7pm. Bridgemary Community School, Wynch Lane.

*Wednesday, June 16, 7pm. St Faith's Church, Lee-on-the-Solent.

*Thursday, June 17, 7pm. The Theatre, Thorngate Halls, Bury Road, Gosport.

*Two more to be announced. *Extra meetings