SO, now we know where we stand, finally.

Our story about NHS services in Winchester reveals the future of the Royal Hampshire County Hospital. Staying the same is not an option. The RHCH’s future could essentially be as a glorified cottage hospital. With, the unmentioned subtext, a lot of surplus land, ripe for development as housing.

The NHS is proposing several options. Most foresee A&E and maternity moving to a new hospital which will probably be in or near Basingstoke.

NHS managers are in a difficult position. For years, if not decades, clinicians have been warning that there is not the money (because not enough people like paying sufficient taxes) to retain Winchester as a medical ‘hub’. As regular readers of this newspaper will know many services have already been moved elsewhere, to Southampton and Basingstoke.

But the question is, what is the more important? What managers and senior clinicians say is the “best to serve the people of north and mid-Hampshire” or what the people want?

Over to the people.