THE future of Royston Hospital remains unclear following a summit meeting held today. A group of Royston residents, including MP Oliver Heald, district councillor F John Smith, county councillor Fiona Hill, and local GP Dr Peter Gough, met with Primary Ca

THE future of Royston Hospital remains unclear following a summit meeting held today.

A group of Royston residents, including MP Oliver Heald, district councillor F John Smith, county councillor Fiona Hill, and local GP Dr Peter Gough, met with Primary Care Trust (PCT) officials to seek assurances on the future of the hospital.

The group were told there were no plans to close the Hospital at the moment, and that decisions about the future would be taken next year and that representatives of the local community would be involved in discussions.

Mr Heald said: "It was good to have a meeting, but I am disappointed that it is still not clear what the future holds. Royston Hospital is greatly valued in the town and many of us would agree with Dr Gough that Royston needs improved medical facilities rather than anything less than now.

"I will continue to put pressure on the PCT to give an assurance about the future and to argue for better medical facilities for the town," he said.

The meeting was arranged after the PCT blocked plans by the Friends of Royston Hospital to build a new �250,000 day room because it would "be in use for very little time" due to proposals "being implemented in 2011."

This led to fears that the hospital could be under threat of closure. Earlier this month The Crow launched it's "Hands off our Hospital" campaign to highlight to the PCT the importance of this vital facility.