A SENIOR health official has slammed the headline of a Marlow health meeting leaflet as “irresponsible”.

The Marlow People’s Action Group has circulated a flier about tonight’s meeting titled: ‘Regarding the loss of services and closure of High Wycombe Hospital’.

But NHS Bucks has blasted this as “inaccurate and misleading”.

Chief executive Ed Macalister-Smith criticised: “Wycombe Hospital is not set to close; and for Marlow People’s Action Group to propagate such rumours is irresponsible.

“I can say categorically that there is no intention to close the hospital.”

The meeting tonight – arranged by the action group – expects Bucks MPs Dominic Grieve and Steve Baker to attend, as well as trust chief executive Anne Eden.

Group chairman Terry Price has previously told the Marlow Free Press that he hopes the meeting will shed light on how officials plan to manage the area’s health services.

Mr Price wants clarification as to how the Marlow Cottage Hospital is going to be used following its £250,000 upgrade and reopening.

And he is also concerned about what may lie in store for High Wycombe Hospital now that its trauma unit has been closed down.

He said: “It’s so people know what’s going on and get some answers.”

But Mr Macalister-Smith insisted that, despite more care being provided closer to people’s homes, “we still need our hospital to provide a wide range of services”.

He added: “Those services that are provided may change in time to best suit the health needs of the population

“When the time comes to discuss changes in hospital services we will work with our local GPs and hospital doctors to seek out and listen to the views of our population.”

The controversial meeting will take place tonight at Great Marlow School on Bobmore lane at 7pm.