Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust in no confidence vote

Community bed provision will be reviewed in September

A vote of no confidence in health bosses has been declared after the temporary closure of a hospital ward.

The 12 beds of Oxford Community Hospital shut because there were not enough nurses.

Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust said every effort would be made to reopen the beds.

But Oxfordshire's Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee (HOSC) criticised the trust for what it said was a lack of communication.

It said it had agreed a "no surprises approach" with the trust, and that members were not told of concerns dating back to April 2018.

'Disappointed by response'

Oxford Health said the only safe option was to shut the ward, based at the Fulbrook Centre on the Churchill hospital site.

In a statement ahead of the meeting it said it was "disappointed by the disproportionate response" to the temporary closure,

It added: "If we have to choose between doing the right thing for patient safety or facing censure by HOSC, we know where our responsibility lies.

"The trust is and always has been open and transparent in its decision-making processes, and the difficulties surrounding staffing levels at this unit are well documented in our public board papers."

Staff are being redeployed from the hospital to Abingdon and Witney.

Oxford Health will review the situation in September. It said the overall number of hospital beds across all its sites would be maintained at an average of 138.