THE TRUST which runs Malmesbury Hospital has admitted that a questionnaire which could help to keep its maternity unit has not been sent out.

The series of questions, aimed at persuading expectant mothers to use the unit, has been compiled by Hull University, and is designed to quiz the mums on their choice of maternity facility.

However, the questionnaires, which would assess whether mothers from areas outside Malmesbury, including Purton and Cricklade, would use the unit, have not been circulated, despite the trust confirming the plan would go ahead.

The future of the Malmesbury maternity unit has not yet been decided, despite the Kennet and North Wiltshire Primary Care Trust announcing that it would be building a flagship hospital in Malmesbury, and selling off the current hospital site to help pay its £11 million debts.

Concern is growing that the maternity unit, which has about 100 births a year, will close to save money, along with the hospital's x-ray unit.

The results of the maternity survey will be used by the Kennet and North Wiltshire Primary Care Trust in its decision about whether the unit should remain open.

However, time is running out for the maternity unit, as the decision to close or open the facility will be made in September, giving the trust just two months to send out the questionnaires, have them returned, and collate the data.

Juliana Beardsmore, an ante-natal teacher for the National Childbirth Trust in Malmesbury, was told last week that the questionnaires had still not gone out.

She said: "I was very surprised to hear that they had not gone out.

"I still think that the key thing about the unit is increasing the number of people who use it, and letting people know that any woman can book in to the Malmesbury maternity unit- they do not need to be registered with a Malmesbury doctor."

Mrs Beardsmore said she was keen to stress the "superb personalised care from a small group of midwives, who promote normal births and provide excellent breast-feeding support" for mums-to-be.

The questionnaire has been backed up by leaflets, paid for by the Malmesbury Hospital League of Friends, which advertise the quality of service in the maternity unit.

Malmesbury's county councillor John Thomson, who is a member of the focus group campaigning for the hospital, said he was disappointed to hear the questionnaires have not been sent out. He said: "It does seem very slack.

"The trust does not seem to have learnt past lessons about consultation.

"Wouldn't it be nice to involve people who have worked together to help the hospital- the only things I have heard about the hospital have come from the press."

Trust spokesman Pat Cridland said that the questionnaire was "being fine-tuned", with a statement regarding the matter being issued tomorrow (Friday).