Sir – The damning report by the Health Protection Agency on the state of the former Oxford Community Hospital (Report, May 21) came to light as a result of a Freedom of Information Act request that was made on behalf of Oxfordshire Keep Our NHS Public (keepournhspublic.org.uk).
I urge your readers to make use of this law, which I found easy. Just write to the public body concerned and say: “I am making a request for this information/ report etc. under the Freedom of Information Act.” The HPA responded very quickly. We understand from the Oxon Primary Care Trust that a replacement Oxcomm will be reopened on a hospital site within Oxford and run by the NHS, albeit with only 20 beds, this autumn.
When this happens, it will be a (partial) victory for the people of Oxford who have been so ill-served for the 12 months the community hospital has been closed, and for all those who have been campaigning for Oxcomm to be reopened.
Bill MacKeith, Oxon Keep Our NHS Public
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