This is the first time that the Independent Reconfiguration Panel, which reported to the Secretary of State, has rejected proposals to downgrade hospital services.

However, the Government has back the IRP's report calling for another review by the trust of the Horton's services.

Tony Baldry, together with the Keep the Horton General Campaign, will meet this weekend to continue to fight for full services at the Horton.

Commenting on Health Secretary Alan Johnson's statement, Tony Baldry MP said:

"Our case has been so strong that I understand this is the first time that the Independent Reconfiguration Panel has so comprehensively rejected a trust's proposals for reconfiguration and I hope that over the coming days the Oxford Radcliffe NHS Trust will reflect that in future it might be better to work with, rather than against, local communities and local people.

"I very much hope that the Oxford Radcliffe NHS Trust will now start to work co-operatively with local GPs, local midwives and the local community over the coming months to ensure that we can retain and enhance medical services at the Horton Hospital, rather than their being downgraded.

"I am encouraged that the Secretary of State says that there needs to be a 'framework of investment' for the Horton Hospital and we will be looking to the Secretary of State to deliver on that investment.

"Over the coming days, we are all going to have to study the IRP's report in detail and I am looking forward, over the coming days, to having meetings with local GPs, midwives, nursing staff and the Keep the Horton General campaigners to work up constructive proposals that can be put to ministers, the South Central Strategic Health Authority, and the Oxfordshire Primary Care Trust to Keep the Horton General.

"This has been and will continue to be a team effort of local Members of Parliament, councillors, GPs, the medical profession, campaigners and the whole community to ensure that the people of north Oxfordshire, south Northamptonshire and south Warwickshire get patient-led NHS hospital services worthy of the 21st century.

"I am very pleased that following the advice of the Independent Reconfiguration Panel that the Secretary of State's decision is that 'the Oxford Radcliffe NHS Trust's proposals for service change at the Horton Hospital be rejected'.

"This is the third time that the trust's proposals have been rejected. Its first set of proposals were rejected unanimously by 86 local GPs as being 'unsafe' and 'unsustainable'.

"The trust's second set of proposals for downgrading services at the Horton Hospital were unanimously rejected by the Oxfordshire Health Scrutiny and Overview Committee and their proposals have now been rejected for a third time by the Independent Reconfiguration Panel and the Secretary of State.

"However, with another review announced, this is only a half victory for the local community who have been campaigning and will continue to campaign to keep the Horton a general hospital with all the services that one would expect at a general hospital, including children's and maternity services."

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