Campaigners fear for the future of Oxfordshire's community hospitals after plans emerged to centralise the treatment of elderly patients.

Oxfordshire Primary Care Trust has unveiled plans to provide specialist medical care for the elderly solely at Witney and Abingdon.

No public consultation is planned and local councils have just one month to comment on the proposals — sparking outrage.

Hilary Biles, cabinet member for health at West Oxfordshire District Council, said last night: "We've been landed with a fait accompli. It makes me angry.

"There are a whole range of issues involved, not least the future of Chipping Norton Hospital and the serious issue of transport in rural areas.

"With elderly patients and their relatives, the channelling of all elderly patients requiring specialist care to Witney could cause many problems."

The proposals to use just Witney and Abingdon hospitals for elderly patients needing specialist treatment would bypass cover at Chipping Norton, Didcot, Wallingford, Wantage, Bicester and Henley- on-Thames.

And while experts said the shake-up made sense medically, opponents say it could cause problems for those who have to travel long distances for appointments, and their relatives.

Pat Lake, chairman of Age Concern in Chipping Norton and a trustee of Age Concern Oxfordshire, said: "There is bound to be an uproar in Chipping Norton because we've already had fights about the future use of the hospital."

The PCT said Witney and Abingdon would each have 25 beds dedicated to elderly patients with complex medical issues.

Jonathan Coombes, the PCT's service manager for community hospitals, said: "Much of the provision of medical cover has occurred and been delivered in an ad hoc and opportunistic manner with the level of medical support offered unrelated to the level required.

"In some instances patients who have needed specialist support have been unable to access such support due to limited capacity in the specialist teams."

Over the years Wallingford hospital has lost its X-ray unit, chest clinic and minor injuries unit.

Town councillor Lynda Atkins said: "The loss of any service is a blow, but what worries me is that the gradual loss of services might make the hospital unviable."

Oxfordshire County Council's health overview scrutiny committee is backing the plans, which are due to be implemented by April next year.

Committee chairman and former GP Peter Skolar said: "It makes sense for specialist consultants to treat patients in main centres instead of wasting time seeing just one or two patients in each community hospital.

"We know it will be awkward for some relatives, but it makes excellent medical sense."

A PCT spokesman added: "The availability of specialist gerontology care will continue at all community hospitals through advice, support and referral for patients receiving GP care."