The future of a vital department at the new Wharfedale General Hospital has been thrown into doubt just days after it opened.

The state-of-the-art pathology laboratory at the £10 million hospital could be closed within a few months because of a massive budget deficit at the Leeds Teaching Hospitals Trust.

Otley Labour MP Harold Best was so worried about the rumours of closure that he wrote to the Trust's chief executive Neil McKay for clarification and discussions. He is still waiting for a reply.

He said he had heard about the proposed closure before staff had even moved into the new lab.

Mr Best said: "Having spent decades involved in the struggle to get the new hospital, I don't want to see it less than adequately providing for the community it was built to serve.

"I find these rumours disturbing in that the services proposed to be provided by the new Wharfedale Hospital may be put in jeopardy."

District and Town Councillor Graham Kirkland (Lib-Dem) was outraged at the prospect of the lab closing.

Councillor Kirkland said: "When you have only been in the building a week it is a bit much - it beggars belief. It throws into question the whole validity of moving into the new hospital.

"Pathology is a very important department. Almost everybody who goes there has a blood test, and some are quite complicated.

"To fit up a new department and then tell staff they might be moving elsewhere within a few months is ridiculous."

The pathology laboratory employs around 15 staff and as well as handling blood tests from the hospital, it also supplies a testing service for GPs in Burley-in-Wharfedale, Menston and Aireborough.

Around 30,000 tests a year will be done at the hospital in Newall Carr Road. Sending them to Leeds would involve patients having to visit the hospital twice because of the length of time in getting the results back.

At present, a patient can have a blood test and an appointment with a consultant to discuss the results within half-an-hour.

Coun Kirkland said: "They do quite complicated blood analysis and it is important to get an answer quickly. They can get the analysis done quicker than it would take a motorcycle courier to get to Leeds. It is completely unbelievable. They build a hospital which deals with outpatients and the pathology lab concentrates on outpatients.

"The pathology department is one of the foundation stones of the hospital and the staff are being kicked in the teeth. It is being run by bank managers not doctors."

Town Councillor Gerard Francis (Con) said: "It is very disappointing. That is bad news.

"If they open it and then close it that would be difficult. It would not be very good.

"You have a blood test, then half-an-hour later you go and see a consultant. If they had to send them away I think it would cause a lot of problems for people.

"I should think the consultants and doctors would be up in arms about it. If they get a new facility and then close it a few months later - there is something very wrong."

A spokesman for Leeds Teaching Hospitals said: "The Trust is currently reviewing all of its services, including pathology, in light of its aim to achieve financial balance for 2004-2005.

"The pathology department is taking part in a consultation exercise to see how it could operate more efficiently without compromising the quality and effectiveness of its service.

"No decision has yet been made as to what measures will be implemented.

"Whatever decision is finally taken, it will be done with due regard for the clinical needs of pathology services at Wharfedale."

Earlier this month the Trust issued a statement that there was a £25 million shortfall in the budget, £11 million of which would be met through Trust-wide cost improvement measures.

A spokesman said that cost improvement reports were being prepared to present to a meeting today.

"The need to maintain and improve the quality of the services we provide has been, and will remain at the heart of efficiency planning," said the spokesman.