Blow your support for a local hospital

Campaigner Les Sibley wants as many people as possible to turn out to send a strong message to NHS Oxfordshire about the strength of feeling in the town.

And he believes vuvuzelas – used by football fans in South Africa – will send the message loud and clear.

Mr Sibley says the town has been let down, not just once, but three times by the health authority, and says it is time to make a stand.

Last month, NHS Oxfordshire shelved a scheme to build a new hospital in the town citing complex legal issues.

Recently, NHS bosses moved to reassure residents the money for a new hospital was secure and a new plan and timetable would be released soon.

But Mr Sibley, a town and district councillor, criticised the county’s Primary Care Trust, NHS Oxfordshire, and labelled the situation a “total shambles”.

He said: “They should have done their homework before embarking on this hospital project.

“It’s excuse after excuse. They have betrayed the people of Bicester.

“The PCT has spent 18 months on this project and it has come to nothing, it’s a total shambles.”

On Saturday, July 17, at 10.30am, the campaign group Save Our Community Hospital is planning to stage a rally in Garth Park in the town.

Campaigners want people to turn up with anything that will make a noise.

Mr Sibley said: “We want people to bring whistles and vuvuzelas and we want to make as much noise as possible.

“We want the PCT to hear us loud and clear. We say enough is enough and we are asking people to turn out in huge numbers, bring along placards, and anything that can make a noise to show support for a new community hospital with in-patient beds.”

A spokesman for NHS Oxfordshire said work carried out over the past 18 months could be carried forward to the new plan.

He said: “Currently, the new project plan is being finalised, and it will be shared with the public as soon as possible.”

He added it was looking at several sites in the town for the hospital.