WILTSHIRE County Council has broadly welcomed the plans by the Kennet and North Wiltshire Primary Care Trust to look after more people in their homes rather than in hospital.

The trust needs to save £10million and has published a consultation document.

The proposals include a controversial plan to sell off the existing Devizes Hospital site and build a new health facility in Green Lane.

Services proposed to be lost from Malmesbury Hospital include X-ray, minor injuries unit and inpatient beds.

New nursing homes, in which NHS beds could be leased by the trust, are being proposed for Malmesbury and Devizes. The trust plans to close beds at Devizes and Malmesbury hospitals and create teams of therapists and nurses to treat people who are not ill enough to go into hospital in their homes.

Dr Ray Jones, Wiltshire County Council's director of adult and community services, believes the trust's plan for new nursing homes providing NHS beds would be of all-round benefit.

In a report to county councillors, he said that older people would have a better environment in which to receive their care, the PCT would make savings and the county council would have more beds available.

But he expressed concern at the shortage of home carers and said there could be an extra cost to the council in providing public transport.

More outpatient services and specialist health services are proposed to be provided at Savernake and Chippenham hospitals. Dr Jones said this could lead to travel problems for some patients. His report will be discussed by the council's Cabinet tomorrow.

Consultation on the trust's proposals ends tomorrow.

The trust will make decisions at a board meeting in Devizes on May 22.