THE Kennet and North Wiltshire Primary Care Trust has pledged to work with people in Malmesbury to agree on what services will be provided in the town's new health facility.

Trust chief executive Barbara Smith was quizzed by Kennet and North Wiltshire councillors at a meeting of the health scrutiny panel in Devizes on April 23.

John Thomson, Malmesbury county councillor, repeatedly expressed concern that the trust's consultation document did not contain specific proposals for the Malmesbury Hospital site.

He said: "I'm concerned that there is not enough detail in the consultation document about services in Malmesbury. There are also contradictions in statistics contained in the trust's workbook.

"I think a lot more work needs to be done and I'm concerned we have only until May 22 when the trust makes decisions."

Elizabeth Jones, the trust's director of planning and commissioning, said it was envisaged that more detailed work would need to be done after decisions are made on May 22.

She said: "This is the start of the process, some decisions will made on May 22 but certainly for Malmesbury there will be detailed work going on in the next two years. We've had some excellent discussions with people in Malmesbury so far and we want to carry on and build on that. There are some very exciting opportunities in Malmesbury."

She said the trust would be appointing a project manager for two years to work on the Malmesbury proposals.

Concern was expressed by councillors that the trust could sell off hospital buildings and use the money to pay off debts.

After the meeting Mrs Smith told the Gazette that money raised from the sale of health buildings in Devizes and Malmesbury would be reinvested in new services in the two towns.

Coun Thomson said he had been pleased by the response of the trust.

He said: "It is more positive for Malmesbury than I first thought. I think we are going to retain the hospital in Malmesbury.

"The meeting had the atmosphere of a select committee and there were some tough questions asked of the PCT. They answered most of the questions and said they will release proposals that will put into place what is going to happen to Malmesbury Hospital eight or nine days before their board meeting on May 22."