Half of the community hospitals in south Oxfordshire face the threat of closure in a major shake-up of health services in the area.

NHS managers claim it would be more efficient and better for patients if the region's six units were reduced to three.

The proposals have been criticised by councillors and charity workers in towns which could lose their hospitals.

There are 193 community hospitals beds at the sites in Didcot, Abingdon, Henley, Wallingford, Wantage and Witney.

But in a public consultation document, South West and South East Oxfordshire Primary Care Trusts and Oxfordshire County Council's social services department say sites with fewer than 30 beds are expensive to run and difficult to staff.

Managers have suggested 11 options for change, ranging from closing between two and four hospitals, reducing beds to 150.

But they said they would prefer to close three sites and only Witney Hospital's future is guaranteed. The remaining hospitals would have minor injuries units, X-ray facilities, some outpatient services, therapy services and elderly day-care.

The other sites would become community support units, housing day services and bases for staff offering intermediate care in the home.

A PCT spokesman said none of the seven options had been highlighted as the best choice.

If Wallingford were closed, it is unlikely patients from the town would be allowed instead to use Thame Hospital, as it is run by the Vale of Aylesbury Primary Care Trust, which mainly serves patients from Buckinghamshire.

The consultation document said: "By looking at offering greater access to a range of services we would need fewer beds in community hospitals, but would need to increase services to support patients at home."

Many people across south Oxfordshire are angry their hospitals are being threatened.

Wantage Hospital League of Friends chairman Colin Wilkins said: "We're shocked and disappointed. We've spent a lot of money on refurbishments. Wantage needs a community hospital and we don't want it to close. We will do anything we can to stop it."

Wantage Mayor Jenny Hannaby said: "Wantage people worked very hard to get money to buy and build the hospital in the first place. I'm very anxious and will be doing all I can to keep it open. I would like to hear from anyone who wants to help with a campaign."

Maureen Welch, former secretary of Didcot Hospital League of Friends, said: "If people in Didcot and the surround villages knew what was being proposed, they'd go spare.

"Didcot Hospital was built with the help of public subscriptions more than 70 years ago and local people who have continued to support it by raising thousands of pounds for facilities, including £160,000 for the physiotherapy department, would strongly object to the bed closures."

Public meetings about the proposals are being held at the Corn Exchange, Witney, on January 16, at 10am, and at Didcot Civic Hall, on January 23, at 2pm.

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