STAFFING shortages have led to the closure of a 12-bed ward at the new Lymington New Forest Hospital.

The hospital was going to be the first in the country to be totally run by private enterprise.

It was due to be run by Partnership Healthcare Group under Wave Two of the Independent Sector Treatment Centre contract run by the Department of Health.

Partnership Healthcare Group was due to take over in April but no deal was signed and the hospital, which opened at the start of the year, is still being run by Hampshire Primary Care Trust.

The Department of Health called off the discussions, saying it needed to make sure the scheme was the best for patients.

Now New Forest West MP Desmond Swayne has stepped into the fray and demanded the government make a decision.

Mr Swayne said: "As long as patients are provided with the best possible service, I don't really care if the hospital is run by the PCT or a private provider.

"However, one thing that people want in life is certainty and I'm not surprised that they had trouble getting staff.

"The government appears to be at sixes and sevens on this issue. I just wish they would make a decision, stick with it and stop messing us about."

The public services union Unison claims the government is backing away from privatisation while a Department of Health spokesman said ministers were working with the NHS to ensure private sector schemes met the needs of the health service and community.

"This exercise is ongoing and is expected to be completed in the coming weeks," said the spokesman.

"Once this process is complete and all parties involved in the negotiations have been informed of the outcomes, further information will be made available."

A Hampshire PCT spokesman said: "At the moment we are recruiting over 32 permanent posts, which include nursing, administration, radiology, physiotherapy and support staff.

"It is anticipated that it will take another two months to complete the recruitment process and once the full staff complement is in place, we can look to re-open the Longbeech Ward.

"Services to patients have not been affected by these changes and admissions remain the same."