THERE has been outspoken opposition to the planned closure of a

Shetland hospital, with local nurses adding their voice to the protest.

Almost 200 people supported a vote of no confidence in Shetland Health

Board's proposal to close Montfield Hospital, at a public meeting in

Lerwick at the weekend.

The plan was attacked as unnecessary, outrageous and a flagrant breach

of the trust of the elderly, who had paid their taxes and national

insurance on the promise of free health care throughout their lives.

The meeting dismissed claims by the board that there was not a demand

for all the beds after hearing that one woman, almost 90 years old, had

been sent recently to a nursing home in Banchory.

She was allegedly told there were no beds available at Montfield and

was left to make her own travel arrangements.

Local nurses have said they had so far been ''loyal to the point of

naivety''. One told the meeting: ''We are actually quite scared to speak

out. We have been let down badly by our management.''

She added: ''We are going to force the people of Shetland to become

carers. Women will go back to the Middle Ages and have to become

carers.''

After the meeting, an action group was set up to campaign further to

save the hospital.

The health board has issued a consultation document on the plan.

However, no board members attended the public meeting, which was called

by Shetland Labour Party.

The local MP, Lib-Dem Jim Wallace, sent a letter of support to the

meeting. He said he would be seeking a meeting with Health Minister Lord

Fraser to express ''serious misgivings about the way community care is

being implemented, generally, as well as to relay particular local

concerns.''

The health board wants the 81-bed hospital closed by September 1997.