A decision about the future of Bicester's hospital has been delayed again because the county council had not given its opinion on time.

North Oxfordshire's Primary Care Trust (PCT) met in Bicester on May 26 to discuss the results of a consultation on whether people wanted a new hospital or not.

The board said they were unable to make a decision about what kind of hospital, if any, would be built in the town because Oxfordshire County Council's health overview and scrutiny committee had still not submitted its response.

A county council spokesman said: "The committee considered the consultation document from the North Oxfordshire PCT on receipt but had some concerns about the process and the content of the consultation.

"The committee intends to give a qualified response to the consultation at a meeting scheduled for June 9."

Responses to the survey were to be completed by the beginning of April, and the majority were critical of the PCT's plans for a Primary Care Centre which would buy in beds from the private sector.

PCT chief executive Mike Williams said the county's committee had asked him detailed questions which he had answered within a week.

John Coombs, head of community hospitals, said the majority of respondents still wanted a 30-bed community hospital, even though the PCT had "done its best" to explain that this was no longer a viable option.

Talks

Speaking about Labour Party talks for 50 new community hospitals across the country during the election, Mr Williams warned that Bicester should not expect a 30-bed facility.

He said: "When the Secretary of State said 'community hospital' he was talking about what we mean by a primary care centre."

Residents in Bicester had rejected the proposal to replace a community hospital with a primary care centre.

The results, published by the PCT, showed that "the majority of respondents continue to be of the opinion that the PCT should seek to develop a 30-bed community hospital for Bicester".

The PCT said the town's existing, worn-out, 12-bed hospital should be replaced with a £3m primary care centre. A suggested £13m, 30-bed hospital is not possible because Government funding is not available, according to the trust.

There were 49 formal responses to the consultation, which also took into account a petition of 7,000 signatures, a town council motion, a previous town poll, an unofficial newspaper poll, and discussions with patients' forums and other organisations.

A questionnaire, to which 21 people responded, asked residents to consider two options -- to build a Primary Care Centre and pay for NHS-funded beds from a private sector care home, or to make no improvements to the existing 12-bed Bicester Community Hospital.

The majority (75 per cent) of people asked did not think the proposed care centre would meet the needs of the community.

bicester@nqo.com

When asked how they felt about the second option, 92 per cent of people expressed strong opposition and dissatisfaction.

Many people said they did not feel it was a realistic option, and the consultation document stated that "the public clearly feel that the PCT has not offered any real alternative to option one".

Cherwell District Council and Oxford City Patient and Public Involvement Forum, who both took part in the consultation, were also critical of the lack of options.

In other comments, respondents said there had been confusion, with the PCT and local councillors saying different things.

The document concluded that: "It is clear that a lack of understanding and mixed messages from a number of sources has confused the current proposals with those previously consulted upon."

In the light of the survey, MP Tony Baldry called on the PCT to meet the strategic health authority and Government ministers to explain that townspeople were not happy with the proposed Primary Care Centre.

A spokesman for the PCT said they could not comment before the board of North East Oxfordshire's PCT met to consider the results of the consultation.

He added: "If the PCT simply goes ahead without going back up the chain of command to try and argue for what the community wants, everyone is going to feel dissatisfied.

"This is an issue that needs to be sorted once and for all."

Town councillor Les Sibley said: "The people of Bicester have overwhelmingly rejected the PCT's proposal. I hope the PCT does not choose to ignore the aspirations of the people of Bicester."

Mr Sibley said he saw two ways forward -- to find the money for the 30-bed hospital, or refurbish the existing facility.

He added: "Now the consultation is done and the people have said what they think, we should all unite and deliver the new hospital for the people of Bicester, as they were promised."