THE chairman of the League of Friends of Evesham Community Hospital, Frances Smith, has spoken out about the recent decision by the South Worcestershire Primary Care Trust, PCT, to shelve the controversial plans to make cuts at Evesham Community Hospital.

When the new Worcestershire PCT is formed on October 1, Mrs Smith, who led the campaign last year to prevent hospital cuts, is keen to hold talks with the chief executive to discuss ideas on how to prevent the loss of services.

Mrs Smith said: "I am extremely pleased the severe cuts that were going to be made are no longer going ahead for the staff and the patients. But I am still very sceptical about where the money will come from. If the PCT know they haven't told us."

Mrs Smith added that as chairman of the Friends she was keen to have talks with the acting PCT chief executive Paul Bates.

"I would like to speak to Mr Bates and the new PCT members to work out the future of Evesham hospital," she said.

The campaign group which includes Dr Neil Townshend, a Broadway doctor, met earlier this month to discuss new ideas on how to save the services that were under threat before the announcement last week."

"We're eager to share out ideas on how we can save the services at the Evesham Community Hospital," Mrs Smith said. The South Worcestershire PCT''s overall financial situation has deteriorated and savings need to be made by the committee as the hospital has a deficit of £5 million pounds.