A group dedicated to supporting Royston Hospital is determined to continue its fight as part of a partnership reviewing plans for health and care services in the area.

The best solutions for the location of health and care services in Royston are currently being reviewed by a partnership involving the NHS, community leaders and Herts County Council.

The hospital closed its doors to in-patients in 2012 and looked set to be closed and replaced by a care home.

But the NHS has since had a rethink, and is now drawing up a new plan for the site so that it can remain in use providing hospital clinic services.

NHS group Cambridgeshire Association To Commission Health will be working closely with an engagement group that includes North East Herts MP Sir Oliver Heald and Friends of Royston and District Healthcare.

The Friends charity was set up in 1972 in its original guise of Friends of Royston Hospital, before widening its fundraising objectives to support the people of Royston and the surrounding area last month.

Vice-chairman John Davies said: “The Friends are delighted that they have been able to continue their fight for the retention of services on the Royston Hospital site.

“This has been made possible through their involvement with the Royston engagement group. The decision of the Royston GPs to join with the Cambridgeshire commissioning group CATCH was inspired.

“CATCH has been from the outset supportive of and proactive in the continuation of services on the London Road site.

“The current constitution of the strategy group representing the key decision makers are all now supporting the development so we are very hopeful of a positive outcome that will serve the healthcare needs of our growing town and the South Cambridgeshire villages for the foreseeable future.”

CATCH GP Dr John Hedges said: “Commissioning care tailored to the needs of patients is at the heart of everything we do.

“We remain committed to commissioning high quality services for our patients living in the Royston area within the resources available to us.”