AN NHS health boss attempted to allay fears that Wycombe Hospital was in danger of closing at a hotly-debated health meeting on Friday evening.

The run-up to the event had been marred by controversy after a senior health official branded the event organisers “irresponsible”.

The Marlow Peoples Action Group had issued a flier promoting the event headlined: “Regarding the loss of services and closure of High Wycombe Hospital”.

But, on addressing the 140-strong audience, Bucks NHS trust chief executive Anne Eden insisted: “We have no plans to close Wycombe hospital.”

She explained that plans were afoot to create a “state of the art” cardiovascular centre at the hospital, as well as improve the specialist facilities for stroke sufferers.

And she fended off criticism that the public had been misled over the hospital’s loss of A&E services by asserting that she had already delivered on two pledges.

Miss Eden highlighted the reopening of the Marlow Cottage Hospital as well as Wycombe’s Midwifery unit as evidence she intends to be true to her words.

But MPAG chairman Terry Price – who was unrepentant over the controversial flier – explained that he will not stop pushing for the return of A&E services.

He said: “I have been told it ain’t going to happen - well watch this space. You took it away and you can damn well give it back.

The former engineer cites the gradual decrease in use of the hospital’s tower block as evidence the long-term plan is to phase out services in their entirety.

He added: “It’s about trust, it’s about talking and it’s about telling the truth. Communication, communication, communication and it does not happen.”

MPs Steve Baker and Dominic Grieve were also part of the meeting’s panel of guests and Mr Baker explained that a lack of control over the NHS foments this relationship of distrust.

He explained: “It doesn’t matter how trustworthy the chief executive is as we still can’t control it [the NHS].”

And the Wycombe MP revealed that he sees a system of “mutuality” which puts “normal people in control of the provision of health care” as a way which would end the struggles between the public and health bosses.

Meanwhile, Marlow MP Mr Grieve QC explained that tough decisions with regards to public investment and cutbacks has led to the fractious situation.

“NHS funding has been up and down like a yo-yo – in the early 2000s there was a lot of money poured in and that’s how we got Amersham hospital,” he said.

“But then it dried up about three or four years ago – and in fairness to Anne they are operating in a very difficult environment.”