Rival factions in the struggle to keep Ongar's hospital open have been called to a summit to decide the unit's future.

The public have been asked to fill in a questionnaire giving their solutions to the dilemma.

And former parish council chairman Keith Wright said: "If there are any hatchets to bury, now is the time to bury them."

The meeting, due to be held last night, was in response to a call from Health Minister John Denham to the often warring parties to work together.

When he announced a temporary reprieve for the War Memorial Hospital earlier this month Mr Denham said: "I would urge you to work quickly with all local interested parties to ensure a workable future is found."

Hospital campaign chairman Edwyn Gilmour called last night's public meeting at the campus site in Fyfield Road, a stone's throw from the hospital which has been struggling for survival for nearly 30 years.

Also invited to speak were Ongar Tory MP Eric Pickles, former campaign chairman Cllr Doug Kelly, League of Friends chairman Sheila Jackman plus representatives from local councils and health bodies.

Mr Gilmour said: "There is a lot of confusion and we hope that this meeting will clarify the situation. We've been told the hospital is saved but there is still doubt over its future and there's still a struggle ahead."

"There have been undercurrents in the town in the past but this gives us the opportunity to talk together and decide what's to be done."

Mr Gilmour said that the questionnaires would be useful in compiling an accurate survey of options for the hospital which could be put to the Minister.

Cllr Kelly, who stood down as campaign chairman after a row, said: "Getting together is a good idea: we need to know where we go from here and it requires careful thought and planning.

"The Minister said the health authority needed to work quickly with all local interested parties.

"This doesn't just mean the health officials and the doctors but also the people who use the facilities. They need to be in touch with the grass roots and take account of public opinion."

Cllr Kelly said that recent experience had proved that the hospital did not necessarily need 22 beds but that the clinics there were essential.

Cllr Wright said: "It would be to the town's advantage if we can resolve our differences. They are relatively minor and we are all united on one thing: we want to save the hospital."

One idea for the future has been to link the hospital with Finch Court, sheltered accommodation for the elderly at the rear of the building.

The Rev Ken Start, chief executive of Springboard Housing Association which owns the flats, has been talking with the health authority and says: "Can't we sit around the table and offer some proposals rather than fighting closure?"

The great debate takes place against a background of the need to trim health budgets locally.

Princess Alexandra Hospital at nearby Harlow, for example, has just had to axe 25 beds in a bid to reduce its overspend.

Closing the War Memorial Hospital would save health chiefs £250,000

Fiona Gilmour chief officer of West Essex Community Health Council, believes that the basis of any new discussion should be the needs of the people of Ongar and not merely the future of a building.

But she says that to suggest that the solution would be to leave the hospital as it is was nave.

"Something will have to give somewhere. Although this is really an argument about cost and not staffing it is also about people getting the right care and not who provides it."

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