BEDS lost after the closure of a popular community hospital in Oxford could be replaced within the year, Oxfordshire PCT has said.

The 26-bed Oxford Community Hospital at the Churchill Hospital in Headington — affectionately referred to as Oxcomm by staff and patients — was closed in May last year because of an outbreak of clostridium difficile, which causes sickness and diarrhoea.

Since then, patients who would have been treated at the hospital, which provided rehabilitation care to people after serious surgery or illness, have been relocated to community hospitals in Chipping Norton and Witney. Ten beds have also been provided at the Albany Care Home in Headington.

At a meeting to discuss whether a community hospital in Oxford would reopen, Oxfordshire Primary Care Trust unveiled six medium-term options to about 30 ex-patients, community representatives and former staff at the Town Hall, in St Aldate’s.

Whatever option is finally agreed is expected to be in place for three to five years while the PCT works to establish a longer-term solution.

The options included continuing the current arrangements, upping the amount of beds provided from the independent sector, or providing home care.

Other options included refurbishing the old Oxcomm ward at the Churchill, or commissioning a fully-staffed 20-bed intermediate care service from a private provider.

The PCT outlined its preferred option — to find a new landlord to reinstate 20 beds in the city as soon as possible.

But Stephen Parkinson, a spokesman for Unison Oxfordshire Health, said the cut in the number of beds from 26 to 20 was unacceptable.

He added: “What we need is no cuts in services for the Oxfordshire people. I agree, the last option is the most preferable, but we still need more beds.

“What we need is a strong NHS giving quality care for the Oxfordshire community.”

Oxcomm staff members who were transferred to other community hospitals when Oxcomm was closed also attended the meeting.

One staff member, who did not wish to be named, said she was relieved the problem was finally being looked at and added: “At the end of the day, Oxford seriously needs its own beds at its own community hospital. Twenty beds is not enough.”