Campaign to halt Banbury's Horton hospital's maternity cut plans

Under the plans Horton General Hospital 's maternity unit could become midwife-led

A campaign to fight proposals to scrap consultant-led maternity services at an Oxfordshire hospital has begun.

NHS bosses are considering making the maternity unit at Banbury's Horton General midwife-led.

Banbury MP Victoria Prentis said: "They are proposals but they are very worrying."

Under the plans consultant-led services could move to Oxford and Horton could also lose its special care baby unit.

Keith Strangwood chairman of the Save our Horton group said: "There's been scenarios at the Horton when if there wasn't consultant-led maternity then a life would have been lost.

"If we lose it then it will happen."

Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust (OUH), which runs the hospital said: "We are in the early stages of discussions.

"Public feedback will be used to inform and shape plans."

The clinical-led review by the trust is looking at the hospital's planned care, urgent care, maternity and children's services.

In 2008 campaigners won a battle to stop maternity and children's services being transferred elsewhere.

The secretary of state rejected the trust's proposals because they failed to provide an accessible or improved service for local people.