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Downgrading hospital is rejected in consultation By Samantha McGregor CAMPAIGNERS have urged health bosses to back residents after plans to permanently downgrade maternity services at Banbury’s Horton Hospital were rejected in a consultation. Proposals unveiled in a consultation in January included reducing the number of in-patient beds, creating a central stroke unit in Oxford, and a permanent midwife-led unit at the hospital. Last week the OCCG published the results, which received more than 10,000 individual responses. Although some of the proposals were supported by people, the down-grading of maternity services at the Horton was almost “universally rejected”. The report concluded there was an “almost universal concern and a lack of support for the proposal to close the obstetric unit at the Horton General Hospital and replace it with a midwife-led unit, because of travel times and the resultant impact these are felt to have on women’s and babies’ safety”. Campaigners and community leaders in north Oxfordshire say the result was not a “surprise”. Keith Strangwood, chairman of campaign group Keep the Horton General, said the results spoke for themselves and showed people wanted consultant-led maternity services to remain at the Horton.
He said: “It is clear the plan is to put the pain in the north. It is still clear people are against the proposals. “Let’s hope the CCG care enough about north Oxfordshire people to listen to these survey results.” Sean Woodcock, Banbury Labour group leader, said: “It doesn’t surprise me that there is considerable public criticism of the CCG and of their plans to downgrade maternity services at the Horton Hospital. “These plans will have considerable negative consequences for the people of Banbury and beyond.” Banbury MP Victoria Prentis said the report provided a “comprehensive overview” of phase one of the consultation and she was “keen” to know what the next steps were. She said: “We know that the [OCCG] board will be making decisions in August, but at the moment we have no idea what the fi nal proposals will look like. “It is quite clear from the report that consultees were not given sufficient information to provide informed responses. “I continue to be extremely concerned about the split nature of the consultation. “How we move forward remains unclear, but I will be doing all I can to get the answers we need and to retain acute services at the Horton General Hospital.” For more on the consultation, turn to page 5
Bags of cash for baby charity A BABY swimming school owner has raised cash to support bereaved parents by selling colourful shopping bags. Tamsin Brewis and her team raised £500 selling the bags and the cash will be split between five local baby charities, including Sands. Tamsin, who runs Banbury based Water Babies, said Oxfordshire Sands is a charity close to her heart. She said: “It’s something that is so
close to all of our hearts and to all of the mums and dads who bring their little ones to swim with us. “I’ve worked with parents and their young children for many years and, unfortunately, I’ve seen fi rsthand how illness and bereavement can devastate families.” Charity Sands offers support to anyone affected by the loss of a new born child and June is Sands awareness month.
Water Babies is also partnered with Tommy’s – the baby charity which supports families who have for stillbirths, premature babies and miscarriages. Last year she and her team raised more than £40,000 by holding ‘splashathons’ in their classes and asking parents to get sponsors for completing the event with their little ones. The next one takes place in July.