That’s the message of Wellington Health Council chair Brandon Wilson who is warning the town is critically short of doctors willing to perform roster duty at the hospital.

The local facility was listed by the Daily Telegraph last Friday as one of 117 in danger of closing under Prime Minister Kevin Rudd’s proposed pay-for-service health model, a claim Mr Rudd said was untrue.

The claims were made by senior health clinicians who said that because hospitals such as Wellington had fewer procedures, they could see a drop in funds allocated to them.

However, Mr Wilson believes since it could take at least two years before the new Federal initiative would come to fruition, the community should be more concerned about the lack of GPs.

“If we don’t have enough GPs to service the hospital, that is more likely to cause us to lose it other than restructuring,” he said.

“If we can’t get the GPs there is a chance we could be downgraded anyway and finish up just having a small emergency and palliative care ward.”

According to Mr Wilson, there are currently only three doctors who conduct roster duty at the hospital. These doctors also conduct their normal practice work as well.

He said a further two were desperately needed.

“If we can get a couple more GPs to maintain a five-week emergency roster at the hospital there is a good chance of maintaining the hospital in its current form,” Mr Wilson said.

Meanwhile Mayor Anne Jones has stated that if there were any indications the hospital were in danger of closing she would fight to keep it open.

“I have just done up a letter to the minister about the policing problem in Wellington,” she said.

“If there is any likelihood that it is being seriously considered (that the hospital could close) then I would go down the same path and take it further.

“At the moment we are just waiting to hear if this is just some list which has been put together with no substance … once we know more that allows us to move forward.”

Cr Jones also raised concerns the lack of doctors on roster at the hospital could also play a role in the local facility being targeted.

“If we can’t get the staff in the emergency department at the hospital that might play a part in why we would be on the list.”

Mr Rudd has remained adamant nothing in his health reform package would justify the closure of any hospital and is set to take his case to premiers during the coming weeks.