NHS Tayside has dismissed claims that the future of Brechin Infirmary is under threat.
A whistleblower, with connections to the infirmary, has claimed GPs have been told to stop making referrals to the ward and that the health board is attempting to “close it by stealth”.
NHS Tayside has admitted the infirmary only has three patients but said it “continues to operate”.
Medical provision in the town has been under scrutiny after it emerged last month that Brechin Medical Practice partnership is being dissolved after two doctors left and could not be replaced due to a national GP shortage.
NHS Tayside will take over the running of the practice from Thursday.
This news was shortly followed by an announcement that the minor injuries and illness unit, which is based at Brechin Infirmary, would operate with reduced opening hours due to a “difficulty” recruiting staff.
The infirmary source said: “They are attempting to close it by stealth the word is ‘decommissioning’.
“There are boxes in the corridors and GPs have been told they can no longer make referrals to the ward.
“The men’s ward is shut and the lights are off and there’s only three women left in the female ward.
“There has been no consultation with the community on this and the fact that is actually happening suggests to me there are some kind of insidious forces at work.
“The ward mainly deals with post-acute referrals from Ninewells and I doubt Dundee will be able to cope with the extra demand if they shut it for good.
“They are trying to avoid calling it a closure but that’s effectively what it is.”
When the claims were put to NHS Tayside, a spokesman responded: “The inpatient unit at Brechin Infirmary continues to operate, currently looking after three patients.”
The spokesman added that it was in the process of trying to recruit a team of GPs for Brechin Medical Practice.
“The current GP partners at Brechin Medical Practice are dissolving the partnership and have asked NHS Tayside to support them to deliver GP services from 1 October 2015.
“Work is under way to recruit a team of salaried GPs for Brechin who will be employed by NHS Tayside and will work with the existing team from the Brechin premises.”