BARELY 10 years after it was opened following a near £500,000 public appeal, the award-winning stroke unit housed at Christchurch Hospital could be transferred to Bournemouth.

Hospital chiefs want to build a new acute stroke care ward at the Royal Bournemouth and move the Christchurch rehabilitation unit to the same Castle Lane campus by April 2011.

Moving the stroke unit is part of a package of proposed developments for Christchurch Hospital, which include the transfer of another 28-bed general rehabilitation ward to Bournemouth to clear the way for relocation of the outdated H wards at and improvements to the Macmillan cancer care unit, outpatients department, day hospital and other services.

The project drawn up during last summer is currently at the consultation stage. Tony Spotswood, chief executive of the Royal Bournemouth and Christchurch Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and a member of the nine-strong working party which drew up the proposals, will address a public meeting in Christchurch early next month.

In his foreword to the consultation document Mr Spotswood pledged that "Christchurch Hospital's unique role will continue and a broad range of services will be delivered from the site".

After discounting a number of options ranging from no change to moving all in-patient beds from Christchurch to Bournemouth, the working party settled on the present proposals subject to the outcome of the consultation an approval of its business case for funding.

"This was felt to be the best option," said project group member and former Christchurch mayoress Sue Bungey, who explained changes were needed to help the hospital trust meet government guidelines patient care and accommodation.

And she urged people to study the consultation document and attend the public meeting in the council chamber of the Civic Offices on February 5 at 2pm.

"People should take the opportunity to listen and ask questions. This is their opportunity to have an input on the future of Christchurch hospital," she said.