A DECISION to rename Maldon’s next hospital a “health hub” because it may not have beds or inpatient services has been labelled “deplorable” and “unacceptable”.

The Standard revealed last week the newly named Maldon Health Hub may not provide the beds, in-patient services, or maternity care found at St Peter’s Hospital.

At Maldon District Council’s overview and scrutiny committee meeting last Wednesday, councillor Stephen Savage said: “I read this report and my initial thought was ‘St Peter’s Hospital is closed’. A hospital without beds is a clinic.

“I feel very strongly about this, I think we have been misled and let down by the NHS and CCG and I think they need to explain themselves.

“They say they can’t guarantee beds. I am not happy with that at all and I do feel the CCG should be summoned to come back down here and explain. We were set up for a community hospital not for a health hub. This is unacceptable.”

Mr Savage’s sentiments were echoed by his colleagues, including Henry Bass. He said: “I think this is absolutely deplorable. It is a back door method of closing St Peter’s Hospital. The amount of time and effort that has been put in looks as if it has all been wasted.

“We have always said that a hospital is a hospital with beds. If there are no beds it is not a hospital. I think this is disgraceful.”

Concern was also expressed by Neil Pudney, a semi-retired nurse, about what impact the loss of beds would have on those recovering from strokes. He added: “I am in complete agreement with what has already been said.

“At the moment there are two wards with beds in St Peter’s, one of which is a stroke rehab ward.

“If you do away with that where will they go? They can’t be treated at home straight after a stroke, they have to be treated in hospital.”

Maldon MP John Whittingdale said: “The situation is that no final decisions have been reached about what they are doing yet.

“They are assessing what facilities are available to people living in Maldon, particularly since the opening of the new centre in Danbury and also in Braintree, and then they are going to reach a conclusion on what needs to be provided for Maldon.

“At the moment the position is that they are making good progress on establishing a new health hub in Maldon.

“The good news is we are moving forward after 20 years.”