6:51pm Thursday 16th July 2009
By Sam McGregor
A BID by Cherwell District Council to build a new hospital and safeguard in-patient care in Bicester has been rejected.
Earlier this year Cherwell emerged as a potential saviour for the town’s community hospital services after it submitted a proposal to the Oxfordshire Primary Care Trust to build a 12-bed hospital on land between the Middleton Stoney and Oxford roads and lease it back to the health authority.
Seven acres of the site — the rest is for housing — has been signed over to the council and it has outline planning permission for a health village.
The council’s proposal was at odds with the PCT’s plans for future hospital care in the town.
It is seeking companies to tender to build and run a primary care centre and the PCT will then buy patient beds at nursing homes in the town.
The PCT has now rejected the council’s hospital proposal, angering supporters who believe the idea is the best way to replace the current community hospital.
Les Sibley, who is spearheading the Save Our Community Hospital Campaign, said: “It would be a devastating blow – a lost opportunity.
“I’m dumb-founded that something handed to them on a plate has been turned down.
“There is going to be a hell of a campaign. People have offered donations and help with a legal fight. Surely the people of Bicester’s views matter?”
Mr Sibley accused the PCT of being shortsighted, as the population of Bicester and the surrounding area could grow to 100,000 if proposed developments went ahead.
So far, 5,000 people have signed his petition to keep a hospital in Bicester.
The PCT would not confirm if Cherwell had submitted a proposal or if that plan had been rejected.
But a report, due to be discussed by Cherwell councillors on Monday, said: “Regrettably, the council was unsuccessful in being invited to the next round of the procurement process.”
It also said the council was waiting for further information from the PCT over why its bid was “unsuitable”.
A spokesman for the PCT refused to say how many firms were on the shortlist or if any of those were also offering to build a hospital with in-patient care. Firms would be evaluated before going to the next stage.
She said unsuccessful applicants had been told the reasons why their applications failed.
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