Horton Hospital maternity unit downgrade to continue

Horton General Hospital 's maternity unit will be midwife-led for the "foreseeable future"

Campaigners say they are "absolutely disgusted" at a decision to keep a maternity service midwife-led rather than consultant-led.

Health bosses voted in favour of maintaining the downgrading of Horton General Hospital's maternity unit in Banbury for the "foreseeable future".

They said staff shortages meant there could be risks to patient safety if they returned to a consultant-led unit.

Campaigners have been opposed to the original decision since August 2016.

Downgrading services at the Horton Hospital meant women needing an obstetrician during labour have had to travel the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford or to Warwick.

At the board meeting of Oxfordshire Clinical Commissioning Group (OCCG) on Thursday, concerns were raised over the experiences of pregnant women having to be transferred to the other hospitals.

Despite the concerns, board members voted 11 to one in favour of continuing a downgraded service at the Horton General Hospital.

Jenny Jones, a member of the Keep The Horton General campaign, said one woman was "on her hands and knees, naked" and in "absolute agony" while she was being transferred in an ambulance to see a consultant at the John Radcliffe Hospital.

She said she was "absolutely disgusted" by the board's decision and said the group "felt betrayed" by the clinical commissioning group.

Campaigners have been strongly opposed moving services from the Horton General Hospital for several years

Ms Jones said Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust had a "lack of will" to recruit enough consultants to ensure safe levels of staffing could be achieved in Banbury.

The CCG said reopening an obstetric unit in Banbury alongside its one in Oxford would have had a "significant cost implication" of £4.6m.

Lou Patten, chief executive of OCCG, said the decision was a difficult one, but the current service "provides safe, effective services for women and babies".

"If circumstances change in the future, such as significant birth rate increases or demand for services is overtaking supply, the current arrangements would be reviewed," she said.

Prof Meghana Pandit, chief medical officer at Oxford University's Hospitals, said she had run 20 recruitment rounds, but despite offering an "attractive package, we have not been successful".

"The trust's absolute priority is to ensure a safe service for all of our patients," she said.