Specialist mental health hospital the Henderson has been offered a temporary reprieve in the form of a public consultation on the proposed closure.

A decision to cut all funding from the hospital was made by South West London and St George's Mental Health Trust in December, claiming that dwindling referrals were making the hospital's future unviable.

But after representations were made by staff to neighbouring councils the NHS has agreed to a formal consultation.

Health scrutiny committees at Wandsworth, Merton and Sutton Councils have voted for the consultation, which is due to start in June.

Consultant psychiatrist at the hospital Dr John Stevens said he welcomed the far-ranging scope of the proposed consultation.

"We are pleased that there will be a public consultation, that it is not being rushed and that will be wide-ranging and complex," he said.

MPs Paul Burstow and Tom Brake, who took the issue to Parliament for an adjournment debate, welcomed the move.

"The fact that the NHS has accepted the need for residential services is a step in the right direction. It is good news that NHS bosses have bowed to local pressure and agreed to consult. The breathing space this consultation gives must be used to make the case for the Henderson to stay open," said Mr Burstow.

Dr Stephens has warned that the closure would leave a gaping hole in mental health care.

"There is no alternative to our service. All those community alternatives are a pale shadow of what we offer. We are very angry about this - it's an obscenity," he said.

The hospital is one of the country's few therapeutic communities which offers pioneering residential mental health care for people with personality disorders. It takes referrals from all over the country.