Chase Hospital’s League of Friends has donated £10,000 each to Midhurst Palliative Care and The Rosemary Foundation.

With the League closing down on March 31, the group is giving its remaining funds to local healthcare charities.

Chairman Dr Frank Williams-Thomas presented cheques to Joanna Stuttaford of Midhurst Palliative Care, which funds the town’s Macmillan service, and Sally Bull from hospice at home charity The Rosemary Foundation.

Dr Williams-Thomas said: “Their work in the local community has been appreciated by many over the years and given support to many families.”

In its heyday the Chase had a fully-staffed 24-bed ward with two sisters in charge, a visiting consultant geriatrician, physiotherapy, occupational therapy including a home appliances room funded by the League, an X-ray machine, district nurses, midwives, terminal care and an outpatient area for visiting ear, nose and throat, ophthalmology and dermatology consultants.

But since the ward closed most outpatient services, the day centre and the X-ray machine bought by the League have gone.

Dr Williams-Thomas said: “The League almost closed with the closure of the ward, but it was decided there might be a chance there would be a change of heart and the wishes of local people would be considered.

“We kept going because of the promise of the hub, or the possibility of using the Chase Hospital, where there is scope for expansion and alteration.

“It has been decided that with no absolute evidence of the promised health hub, after over 11 years since the ward closure and despite repeatedly being told it was nearly ready to be sent to planning, there is no future for the League.

“It is therefore with great regret that the committee has decided we can no longer wait for a health hub to be built.”