Petersfield Hospital staff have made a rallying cry to the community after allegedly being told a threatened ward will close this autumn.

Concerns about the future of Rowan Ward are growing with a consultation being launched by health chiefs.

Some hospital figures recently met Damian Hinds MP and a small group of district and town councillors to discuss the current situation and the ward’s possible future.

But there are fears the decision is a done deal as insiders have told the Post the Hampshire & IoW Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust which runs the hospital needs to close the ward to save £4million.

There is a national move towards providing care at home with Trusts re-evaluating the use of wards like the Rowan.

Wendy Rees, managing director of the Portsmouth and South East Hampshire arm of the Trust, said views will be gathered over the coming weeks on how the future of inpatient care at the ward and hospital could be “positively reshaped”.

She said: “At the heart of the draft proposals is an ambition to deliver outstanding, personalised care in people’s homes without the need of hospital admission knowing evidence supports a home-­first focus with people often recovering better in familiar surroundings.

“We actively and openly welcome public feedback to help shape these draft ideas and proposals. We will share details once confirmed.”

However, the whistleblower claims staff have been told the Rowan Ward will close by October with the announcement “causing a great deal of anxiety”.

The spokesperson said: “The proposed closure will lead to longer stays in acute hospitals for patients waiting for rehabilitation, more care home admissions for patients who can't be rehabilitated at home and more emergency admissions for patients who needed step up beds.

“The staff would like as much support as possible from the community to oppose the closure of the ward.”

Mr Hinds has called on health chiefs to pause any proposed closure, fearing they are being “rushed though” without a clear understanding on the potential wider impact on patient care and the healthcare system.

The proposed closure would see services moved to an expanded model of at-home care, where nursing staff visit patients in their homes. But Mr Hinds is urging caution, noting that a reduction in rehabilitative beds could result in unintended consequences.

He said: “Reducing these beds could lead to discharge delays and increased readmissions to QA and strain across the health and care system.”

“Rowan and Cedar Wards are a key part of healthcare locally, with amazingly dedicated staff, and popular with patients and families.

“At the least the proposals should be paused until there has been a very thorough assessment, and patients’ and community voices must be heard.”

Cllr David Podger, who attended the meeting along with Louise Bevan and Jamie Matthews, said: “People who use this hospital don’t just come from Petersfield, but from the surrounding villages, too.

“In conversation we heard people ask to be sent to Petersfield Hospital because of the care they get there.”