THE long-term future of the Rossendale Hospital site is likely to be decided next year, Burnley Health Trust chairman Brian Foster revealed today.

He said an investigation into the bricks and mortar needs of health services in the Valley could start early in 1999.

All options would be looked into closely - from continued use of the site to a new purpose-built hospital in the heart of town.

He said in a statement to the Lancashire Evening Telegraph: "Let there be no doubt, whatever the shape of hospital services run by the trust, Rossendale will have a hospital - not a series of clinics."

Mr Foster said the building needs would not be scrutinised until the trust's Rossendale Strategy Group had completed its comprehensive review of health service delivery in Rossendale.

He said the group was due to report its findings at the end of November. That would be followed by full public consultation before final decisions were made on services to be offered in the Valley.

Only then would the trust be in a position to investigate how and where those services should be housed.

He dismissed suggestions that consultants had already been brought in to investigate the building questions. "That would be putting the cart before the horse," he said.

"We need to sort out the service we want in Rossendale before we start looking at bricks and mortar.

"We will need a hospital in Rossendale but before we decide its size and shape, we have to consider what services we are going to deliver," he added.

Mr Foster said it was likely a buildings study group would be set up by the trust once those service level decisions had been finalised.

He added that the present hospital premises were far too big and parts were not in use.

A move to a community-based hospital would mean the sale of the valuable present site which could result in a new hospital at minimal cost. But staying at the general hospital site was still an option.

"We will approach the issue with a clean sheet and open mind once we know just what services will be delivered in Rossendale," he said.

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