FOUR MPs whose constituencies make up the catchment area of Banbury's Horton Hospital have united in a bid to prevent services at the hospital being downgraded.

Tony Baldry (Banbury), David Cameron (Witney), Tim Boswell (Daventry), and John Maples (Stratford on Avon), said proposals to cut children's, maternity, and obstetric services at the Horton were potentially unsafe, and would undermine the idea of a local, patient-led NHS.

In a joint submission to the Independent Reconfiguation Panel which is investing proposals put forward by the Oxford Radcliffe Hospitals Trust, the MPs say the plans 'will lead to deaths and disability.' The MPs will meet the panel in January to give their opinions face-to-face, but in a statement this week they said: "We think this issue is a difference of medical opinion between on the one hand the overwhelming majority of local family doctors, nurses, midwives, and other medical staff at the Horton, and on the other hand, the consultants and managers of the Oxford Radcliffe NHS Trust based in Oxford, "The GPs and the Horton staff want a local patient-led NHS, but the Oxford-led policy initiatives appear to be driven by a need for a training-led NHS.

"It is very clear to us that local doctors believe that mortality rates will rise and that delays in treatment will result in deaths and disability as a consequence of the trust's proposed changes."

The MPs, all Tories, continued: "The question the IRP must ask, both at the outset and at the conclusion of their deliberations, is how proposals that will substantially downgrade local hospital services can in any way be considered to be an enhancement of the NHS."

Banbury town and Cherwell district councillor George Parish (Labour), chairman of the Save the Horton action group, said: "The support for our campaign is strong and people from all walks of life have contributed. To get the backing of the MPs is a tremendous boost for the cause and we welcome their statement.

"The campaign to save the hospital is non-political, and the cross-party unity strengthens what we are trying to do."

  • The IRP was asked to investigate the proposals by Alan Johnson MP, the secretary of state for health after the issue was referred to him by the Oxfordshire Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee in July this year.

The committee said the trust's proposals were 'not in the best interests of Banbury area patients.' The proposals will see the Horton's children's ward closed to in-patients, and an end to consultant-led maternity and obstetric services.

The plans also include the closure of the Horton's special care baby unit.

The IRP will make its recommendations in February, but the final decision will be made by Mr Johnson.