HEALTH bosses have been challenged to stop dragging their feet over the future of Rossendale Hospital and come clean on their intentions for the site.

The call came from patient watchdog group chairman Frank Clifford, who says vital health care developments in the Valley are being held back because of uncertainty over the future of the large Victorian hospital.

He told a meeting of his Burnley Community Health Council that while the CHC welcomed the recent setting-up of cardiology and neurology clinics and the decision to concentrate various other out-patient clinics in one area of the hospital complex, there was continuing uncertainty about the future.

He told members in Rawtenstall Town Hall that the time had come for decisions on how best health care should be delivered in Rossendale so residents knew exactly where they stood. We are happy to work closely with the trust on the provision of first class services, but a decision on whether the services should be delivered from the hospital site or from new purpose-built premises in a more central location has to be made.

"There is little use in spending money setting up facilities at the existing hospital if the intention is to sell it off and relocate elsewhere."

Last year, Burnley Health Trust managers announced they were 'looking in earnest' at options which could lead to the closure of Rossendale Hospital. A think-tank of Burnley Health Trust managers was weighing up the present use of the over-large hospital site, against building new community health facilities elsewhere in the Valley. Trust chief executive David Chew, outlined major changes taking place at the hospital in a report to trust directors.

He said work on options to make the best use of existing building capacity at the hospital, or go for a new building, would be completed by the end of the last financial year on March 31.

But as yet no report has been issued on the matter.