Under proposed plans, Cheltenham Hospital’s emergency and inpatient general surgery – abdominal surgery – would be removed from Cheltenham and patients will have to travel seven miles away to Gloucester overnight or at the weekend.

57 consultants and senior doctors at Cheltenham General Hospital have signed a letter stating the pilot move could put patients at risk.

A cross-party campaign group called REACH (Restore Emergency at CGH Ltd) is also apposing the change.

Michael Ratcliffe chair of REACH and Chairman of the Cheltenham Chamber of Commerce said: “There has been a serious failure of due process, lack of transparency and lack of consultation. Shifting all major emergency and elective general surgery to GRH would be a grave mistake, and is strongly opposed by many eminent doctors. This ‘pilot’ also appears to be a full-blown service delivery change in all but name. So we make no apology for fighting these proposals tooth and nail, on behalf of the people of Gloucestershire and surrounding counties.”