Community hospital to re-open 12 beds

A recruitment campaign is already under way to ensure that the appropriate staff are in place when the beds re-open later this month.

The move is part of a major restructuring of health services in Oxfordshire and is designed to offset the effects of the closure of Watlington Community Hospital later this month, when 17 beds will be lost. The decision to axe Watlington hospital, along with the 11-bed Burford Community Hospital, was announced in December as part of an NHS cost-cutting exercise designed to save more than £1m a year.

The restructuring also includes a new 30-bed hospital in Bicester to replace the existing 12-bed hospital.

The decision to close Watlington and Burford hospitals was criticised by the Oxfordshire Community Health Council, the health service watchdog.

Chairman Tom Fellows said he was disappointed that the strong opposition to the closures, which included a petition signed by 70,000 people, had been ignored by Health Minister Alan Millburn. He said the council would be monitoring the closures and the costs of restructuring to ensure that money was being saved as had been promised.

Once the new hospital in Bicester is opened in three years' time, Abingdon Community Hospital will reduce its number of beds permanently to 36.

Jane Dauncy, director of nursing at Oxfordshire Community Health NHS Trust, said: "We intend to increase the number of beds further at Abingdon, subject to demand and the provision of adequate medical and nursing staff cover.

"We need to maintain flexibility to ensure that care is delivered where it is most needed."

A major site redevelopment is planned for Abingdon Community Hospital.

It will include new buildings to accommodate the two wards, and buildings housing services, such as outpatients, will be modernised.

Story date: Monday 07 February

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