Campaigners trying to save Oxfordshire's community hospital beds have been told 14 are to close immediately.

Hospital bosses say the cuts have been forced on them because uncertainty about the fate of the hospitals is making it impossible to recruit new staff.

The news was condemned as "disgraceful" by one campaigner.

And the cut is expected to have serious implications for the over-stretched John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford.

Six beds will be closed at Abingdon, five at Watlington and three at Didcot.

Health Secretary Frank Dobson is currently considering plans to save £1.5m a year by shutting Watlington and Burford hospitals.

Ruth Sharrock, of the Oxfordshire Community Health NHS Trust, said: "It is very difficult to attract any new staff." Oxfordshire Community Health Council has appealed against the proposal, which would also see a number of beds being closed at other hospitals, and the final decision currently lies with Health Secretary Frank Dobson.

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"Staff recruitment problems are being faced by hospitals all over Oxfordshire and nationally.

"We obviously don't like to close beds but we have got to maintain a safe level of clinical practice."

She added that one member of staff would also be transferred from Abingdon to Watlington.

The decision to close the beds will be reviewed after three months - but they will only be replaced if the staffing crisis improves.

Joy Alexander, chairman of Abingdon Hospital's League of Friends, accused health bosses of beginning to phase in their proposed cuts before Mr Dobson makes his decision.

She said: "It is a big con. They are still going to go on closing beds and probably get to the required number.

"What is needed is a political bomb to be put under Frank Dobson. He needs to get his finger out."

Edna Hole, a former nurse at Abingdon, which could lose as many as 18 beds as part of the Health Authority plans, said: "It is a great shame.

"It does leave us wondering if these beds will be replaced."

She added: "They are already stretched in Abingdon. The people who are going to suffer are the patients."

Mr Alastair Welch, secretary of Didcot Hospital League of Friends, said: "In the general climate of threatened community hospital bed closures and uncertainty it is difficult to recruit staff.

"The permanent closure of beds at Didcot was not an option being considered, but the difficulties faced by the hospital trust in filling posts at other hospitals is having a knock-on effect at Didcot which I hope will be temporary."

Mr Welch said without adequate staffing it would be unsafe to keep beds open.

Carole Heath-Whyte, chairman of South Oxfordshire District Council and one of the Watlington Hospital campaigners, attacked the closures.

She said: "This is a complete bombshell. We know that morale is low and that there is pressure from above to make cuts, but this is disgraceful. It is all to do with morale and the uncertainty people feel because they are in limbo."

" It has come at the worse possible time and it is a terrible shame they couldn't wait until we have heard the decision from the Secretary of State."

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