A HEALTH chief has promised that there is a future for the Royston and District Hospital. But Jacqui Bunce, assistant director of commissioning for the East and North Herts Primary Care NHS Trust, said a plan was still be developed. She promised, however:

A HEALTH chief has promised that there is a future for the Royston and District Hospital.

But Jacqui Bunce, assistant director of commissioning for the East and North Herts Primary Care NHS Trust, said a plan was still be developed.

She promised, however: "We are planning to have a facility for Royston and there is no other plan for the site."

Mrs Bunce was speaking at a meeting of North Herts District Council's Royston area committee.

She told members that there were talks taking place between the NHS trust and Herts County Council's adult care services and plans to create an intermediate care strategy at Royston hospital.

And she hoped that the NHS trust could create a "break-even budget" for next year after meeting debts of £23.6 million.

Mrs Bunce added that any plans for the future had to be "robust and sustainable".

Cllr Tony Hunter said: "There have been so many plans for Royston Hospital over the years that we are losing track.

"This has been going on for so long that no-one is believing anything anymore."

And Cllr Howard Marshall described the issue as a "shifting sand situation".

"We are all getting de-pressed about this. It is an important issue locally but because of the history we are all becoming cynical," he said.

"There seems to have been a lot of money spent on consultants and we still seem to be getting no-where," he said.