NURSES at Banbury's Horton Hospital have called proposed changes to children's and maternity services 'unsafe, unfair, and illogical'.

They have hit out at the plans, saying the downgrading of services at the Horton would be detrimental to the health care of children in the area.

The nurses have responded to a plea for information from the Independent Review Panel - the Government's advisory board on NHS reform, which is deciding the future of the Horton.

The panel, which started its deliberations on November 1, has been asked by the Secretary of State for Health, Alan Johnson MP, to advise him on plans put forward by the Oxford Radcliffe Hospitals Trust that would downgrade children's, obstetric, and maternity departments at the Horton, and close the special care baby unit.

As part of the review, the IRP is seeking the opinions of people who have information that was not submitted during the formal consultation process - or who believe their voice has not been heard.

Dr Peter Barrett, chairman of the IRP, said: "People who feel their voice has not been heard should contact us as we are keen to hear from all sides of the debate."

Now, the nurses have written a hard-hitting letter opposing the plans.

The letter points out that on 137 occasions between January and October this year, the Horton took in children when other hospitals - the John Radcliffe, Milton Keynes, Stoke Mandeville, and Kettering - were full. The nurses are asking: "Where will those patients go if the Horton's children's ward closes?"

One criticism of transferring the Horton's children's ward to Oxford has been the cost and difficulty of visits by parents, The nurses' letter points out that this happens when children from out of town are sent to the Horton. It says: "Parents of children transferred from Oxford are worried about the cost and practicalities of getting home - and those children have fewer visitors.

"A young Oxford girl travelled alone by ambulance to Banbury because her mother couldn't afford to get home again. These problems would become a daily occurence for Banbury area families if the changes go ahead."

The nurses' letter also says that ambulance transfer needs to be improved. "Despite promises of an extra vehicle and crew it is difficult to have faith in a service already stretched beyond capacity.

"This week we had to wait two hours for a paramedic ambulance to transfer a child to Oxford in the middle of the night."

On A and E, the letter says other hospitals in the UK have lost emergency departments after paediatric and maternity downgrades, and it was unclear how Banbury's A and E could be maintained without investment in senior medical staff.

On admissions, the nurses say that without a 24/7 children's ward at the Horton, young patients who would normally be discharged with the proviso that they could be re-admitted if their condition deteriorated, would have to be sent to Oxford as in-patients.

The letter says: "This would put up our admissions rate by 50 percent. In October, 69 children were admitted to the ward and around half were sent home with the option of returning if their condition got worse. If the changes are brought in, all 69 would be transferred to Oxford."

The nurses sign off saying: "Though employed by the trust, we are also residents of Banbury and we have families who need full services to continue.

"We have not forgotten that 24/7 children's services were introduced following the unnecessary death of a child. We think a reduction in service that will cost more to run is unsafe, unfair, and illogical."

George Parish, chairman of the Save the Horton action group which has campaigned against the proposals, said: "I admire the nurses for telling us what is going on. We will support them as much as we can. We are concerned about how they feel and we think the trust should listen to people at the sharp end of health treatment.