PLANS for Pershore Cottage Hospital will go out to public consultation, despite strong opposition at a public meeting this week.

South Worcestershire Primary Care Trust opted for an eight-week consultation period starting tomorrow after hearing the fears and concerns of the public over health services in Pershore.

The town's mayor, Councillor Richard Hampton, told the meeting at the Civic Centre there was great resentment among residents who believed their hospital was going to be destroyed.

But Michael Amies, vice chairman of Pershore Cottage Hospital League of Friends, said they would be prepared to supply funding for the project if certain aims were achieved.

He said they would be seeking to ensure Heathlands is made suitable for in-patient care, adequate provision is made for minor injuries treatment at Pershore and financial resources and ongoing revenue costs are budgeted and confirmed as affordable.

Mr Aimes said: "The Friends remain absolutely committed to the retention of a Pershore Cottage Hospital while recognising that it is necessary to upgrade significantly the resources and services to meet the current requirements of clinical and safety regulations and objectives.

"Given a satisfactory conclusion to the consultation and final plans meeting the objectives, the Friends will be prepared to consider the best use of the funds that they hold in trust for the local community and to make a significant financial contribution to the agreed plans."

But Worcestershire MP Sir Michael Spicer wrote to PCT chairman David Barlow after the meeting stating the plans to move to Heathlands were flawed because the building was not purpose built so costs would be higher and the access road was unsuitable.

He urged the trust to consider re-building a new hospital on the current site using private finance and discuss this option during the consultation process.

Members of the PCT board had agreed at the meeting that re-development on the current site was an option but it could mean Pershore loses its hospital temporarily while work is undertaken.

Members of the public expressed concern about services being split over different sites, particularly the re-location of Pershore's community dental clinic to Evesham, and the associated travelling problems for the elderly.

Val Wood, from Pershore, told the meeting her mother was receiving care for dementia outside the area which made regular visits difficult.

"There is a need for care for elderly people," she said. "We are all getting older and there's going to be more of us. There will be two thirds of us over 60 in the next few years. You need to look at common sense in your proposals."

District councillor John Smith said it appeared that the public must accept the proposals or have nothing at all, but the trust should listen to the views of the public, take on their concerns and act on them.

The next public meetings to discuss the proposals will be held at Pershore Civic Centre on Thursday March 27 at 2pm and Monday March 31 at 6.30pm.