"THE decision has been made" was the message given to Hand Back Our Hospital campaigners this week.

Councillor Mike Appleyard, chairman of Buckinghamshire County Council's health scrutiny committee, told the Free Press that the committee is unlikely to change its mind on the changes made to Wycombe's hospital services.

Earlier this year, the committee approved Buckinghamshire Hospitals NHS Trust plan to relocate major trauma surgery from Wycombe Hospital to Stoke Mandeville Hospital, near Aylesbury a change that has now been in force for more than a month.

Mr Appleyard said: "The committee made a decision earlier this year and its unlikely to alter its decision.

"Only if there were things happening that we did not agree on or know about would we revise a decision."

He added: "We stand by the decision that we made but if the Free Press presented us with information which suggested that there's a major change to the principles that we agreed on such as if the Government does something that flies in the face of the things we have decided on then I would be very pleased to hear that. But I am not sure that I have heard anything that alters the principles."

He and his fellow committee members are closely monitoring the changes and are planning to hold a public meeting for residents to address any queries or concerns they might have.

A date for the meeting has yet to be confirmed.