A handful of local GPs who were in favour of downgrading maternity and children's services should not be singled out to advise health chiefs on a new plan for the Horton Hospital, according to Banbury's MP.
Tony Baldry has written to Oxfordshire Primary Care Trust (PCT) demanding that all Banburyshire's 86 GPs should feed into discussions on how Horton services can be 'retained and developed', as required by the Health Secretary.
In his letter to PC
T chief Andrea Young, Mr Baldry also asked for a single stakeholders' group to liaise with the PCT on an agreed Horton future, the Horton name to be included in the title of the trust and secrecy surrounding meetings to be ended.
Mr Baldry said the IRP report – which rejected loss of consultant-led maternity and 24-hour paediatrics – instead called for development.
"The juxtaposition of the words Oxford and Radcliffe have for far too long given the impression that this is a trust only concerned with Oxford and with the wellbeing of the John Radcliffe."
Mr Baldry described attempts to browbeat GPs into accepting downgrading as "extremely corrosive" and undermining of trust' and reiterated IRP criticism of both leadership and the nature of the consultation.
"This time there has to be a process in which the wider community has confidence," he said.
Mr Baldry said the stakeholders' group should include consultants, midwives and nurses and any ORH employee should be free to voice their opinion.
Sarah Bergin of the PCT said: "We are encouraged by the positive and constructive way Tony Baldry is setting out his views and those of key partners which we will take into consideration when we draft the outline plan.
"We look forward to working with Tony Baldry and all stakeholders, in an open and constructive manner."
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