The campaign to save Stracathro Hospital has suffered a major setback with the publication of a report recommending its closure.

A review commissioned by Tayside Health Board said the hospital should be shut down and replaced by a new community hospital in Stracathro.

The review also suggested developing acute services at Perth Royal Infirmary and Ninewells Hospital in Dundee.

However, the board said it would carry out a public consultation exercise before announcing its final decision.

Campaign to keep hospital

Stracathro Hospital, near Brechin, has been the subject of a major campaign by staff and local residents, who have urged the health board and Tayside Hospital Trust to keep it open.

Those opposed to closure, who have collected a 25,000-name petition, said there has been a campaign by the board and the trust, which runs Ninewells Hospital, to strip the hospital of services until it was no longer viable.

They said nursing posts and two surgical positions remained unfilled and specialist wards have been closed or merged.

Health board chiefs briefed MSPs last week about what they believed to be the future of acute services at the hospital.

Hostilities surrounding the Angus hospital came to a head when staff and management appeared before the Scottish Health Committee.

Secret agenda

Bosses were accused of slowly starving the centre of cash and services as part of a secret agenda to have it closed down.

Earlier this year, Stracathro Hospital managers announced proposals to close the elderly and orthopaedic wards and integrate them into other units in an effort to make a �3m saving.

They also announced plans to move the stroke rehabilitation facility to an upgraded ward.

The long awaited review is to be published next week.