Senior health authority officer Jane Britton put forward her own partner’s company to carry out an independent assessment that played a part in the closure of two units at Savernake Hospital, a judge heard today.

The judicial review, expected to last four days, at the Royal Courts of Justice in London will rule if the decision by Wiltshire Primary Care Trust to close the minor injuries unit and day hospital were lawful.

Mother of two Val Compton, 62, from Marlborough has taken on the might of the health care trust in a David-and-Goliath court battle.

Mrs Compton, formerly a physiotherapy assistant at Savernake Hospital, is challenging the legality of the health trust’s decision to close the MIU and replace the day hospital with an at-home community-based service.

She is represented by a legal team headed by Neil Garnham QC who are all giving their services free.

The health trust is represented by Philip Havers, brother of actor Nigel Havers, who lives near Marlborough.

Today it was revaled that Red Bridge Solutions, the company employed by the former Kennet and North Wilts PCT to carry out an independent review of the results of the public consultation, had been set up only six days before it was given the contract.

Mr Garnham said one of Red Bridge founders, Steven Tanner, shared a home in Bristol with Jane Britton, a senior executive with the Avon, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire Strategic Health Authority.

Red Bridge, said Mr Garnham, was one of three companies put forward by Ms Britton to carry out independent analysis of public responses to the Pathways for Change consultation which led to the closure of the Savernake units.

“This personal relationship between a senior SHA employee involved in Pathways for Change and the author of the only independent report reviewing the public responses to the consultation process gives rise to the appearance that the process was tainted by bias,” said the QC.

Mr Garnham said the general public and also members of the Kennet and North Wilts PCT have not been made aware of the link between Red Bridge and Ms Britton.