CAMPAIGNERS are angry after discovering ten beds had been cut at a community hospital before a public meeting was held.

More than 100 people attended a meeting of the North Yorkshire Scrutiny of Health Committee on Monday to oppose the proposals for bed reductions at Ripon Community Hospital.

They believed the meeting was part of the consultation on plans by Craven, Harrogate and Rural District Primary Care Trust (PCT) to close ten of the hospital's 20 beds.

A petition bearing 8,000 signatures was handed to PCT bosses and the committee unanimously opposed the plans.

It has since been revealed that the number of beds had already been cut to between ten and 12.

John Richmond, a former mayor of Ripon and freeman of the city, said: "What worries me is that it was made quite clear that if the beds were reduced to ten, the Ripon hospital would not be viable and it would lead to its closure."

The PCT announced the proposal to cut beds earlier this year, saying it was the result of an £88,000 overspend by the hospital. The trust said it had to find savings of £9m in this financial year.

A spokesman for the trust said it did not have enough staff to keep all 20 beds open and described closing the beds as a short-term change to address the difficult financial circumstances faced by the PCT.

"The PCT made clear the decision to reduce beds was not irreversible," said the spokesman.

The PCT will be absorbed into a new York and North Yorkshire PCT today.