Evesham Community Hospital's League of Friends is planning a campaign to make sure it remains in the town following concerns over its future.

Fears have been expressed that the hospital is under threat as the site is a major asset in the portfolio of the South Worcestershire Primary Care Trust, struggling to cope with a £5 million projected deficit at the end of its first financial year on March 31.

One suggestion has been put forward by chairman of the Evesham and Broadway GP Association, Dr Neil Townshend, who is also chairman of the Evesham Community Hospital Management Board.

Dr Townshend suggeststhe possibility of The Friends buying the building.

Frances Smith, chairman of The Friends of Evesham Community Hospital, said on Tuesday: "It is something that The Friends would be prepared to look at, pending a decision on what is going to happen at the hospital."

She explained: "The Friends have already decided we are not prepared to put huge sums of money into improving facilities at Evesham Community Hospital if the same thing is likely to happen there as happened at Briar Close."

The Evesham Journal has reported that a lot of bad feeling was generated in the town when, after a lot of money was spent by The Friends on facilities there after assurances about its future, Briar Close was closed and facilities transferred to the Waterside site.

Mrs Smith stressed: "The main concern of The Friends is to ensure facilities at Evesham Community Hospital are continued and improved."

Dr Townshend said the GPs would like to see increased activity at Evesham Community Hospital with more surgery being carried out on site, running three sessions a day and operating at weekends.

It would save money being spent at the acute units in Cheltenham and Worcester, and extra staff would easily be paid for.

Detailed proposals following a review of services will be put to a special meeting of the PCT to be held at the Civic Centre, Pershore, on Tuesday, March 4, 2003.