CAMPAIGNS are being launched across Oxfordshire to save community hospitals and beds from closure.

The battle cries have rallied people round to fight health managers' plans to shut down up to 61 beds, including two hospitals.

The plan is asking the public to choose one of two options to save the local NHS £1.5m over the next three years. Options are:

1. Close Burford and Watlington hospitals, and reduce beds by 24 at Abingdon, 21 at Witney and six at Wantage. Bicester will get a new 30-bed community and day hospital to replace its 12-bed building, while a new minor injuries unit would be built at Witney. Total of 61 beds lost.

2. Close Burford and Wallingford hospitals, and cut beds by six at Abingdon, 13 at Witney and six at Wantage. Same plan for Bicester and Witney, plus a new day hospital and six extra beds at Didcot.

Oxfordshire Community Health Trust aims to carry out the closures within the next three years. Total of 45 beds lost.

But hospital supporters are preparing for a bitter battle before and during the three-month public consultation which begins in mid-March.

About 1,500 signed a petition opposing the closure of Wallingford hospital. A protest march, organised by the town council, takes place on Saturday. The town council agreed on Monday to try to save the 33-bed hospital.

Mayor of Wallingford, Cllr Pat Granados, said: "We all feel a mixture of anger, disbelief and incredulity. We can't believe they may do this to us."

The League of Friends of Watlington and District Community Hospital is spearheading the campaign to save their 17-bed hospital.

"We are shocked and distressed that our community hospital is being considered for closure," said league chairman, Ursula Clissold.

The group has raised about £500,000 for the hospital since 1962, which included a major refur- bishment.

Witney MP Shaun Woodward said the 11-bed Burford Community Hospital was an important service. He added: "This will have an enormous impact on the community."

Witney GPs have pledged to join residents in their campaign to save Burford hospital, which had a new £147,000 day unit last year thanks to local fundraising.

Dr Jonathan Ferrier, a GP in Witney, said: "From the point of view of patients, it is a disaster and as doctors we are all up in arms and will strongly oppose it."

Send your comments to Oxfordshire Community Health Council, Churchill House, St Aldate's Courtyard, St Aldate's, Oxford. OX1 1BN. Tel: 01865 723569. Gain - and loss BICESTER is in line for a new purpose-built hospital under proposals for the future of community health care in Oxfordshire.

But Bicester's gain will be the rest of the county's loss as plans include closing two hospitals and cutting the number of community hospital beds by almost one fifth.

Cash made from selling off the sites of the closed hospitals will help pay for the extra services at Bicester and Witney.

The Oxfordshire Community Health Trust, which runs the hospitals, hopes most staff can be re-deployed to other hospitals or NHS trusts. Some redundancies have not been ruled out.

Bicester has long campaigned for a new hospital to cope with the town's rapidly expanding population. Celia Curtis, chairman of the Bicester Community Hospital League of Friends, said: "It is a shame for the smaller ones which are going to close but we are delighted and over the moon. It has been on the cards for such a long time but the funding has not been available.

Bicester Community Hospital manager Jeannie Ablett said no firm plans would be made until the public consultation period was completed.

She said: "The reality is we must wait and see and ensure after public consultation that either of these two options are acceptable and will go ahead. If the proposals go ahead there will be a purpose-built hospital."

Jane Plater, member and former chairman of the league of friends, said: "Our gain is their loss. We feel very sorry for those who lose but we do need a new hospital. Bicester's grown amazingly."

Bicester Mayor Les Sibley said: "This will go some way to meeting the health needs of the local community."

Send your comments to Oxfordshire Community Health Council, Churchill House, St Aldate's Courtyard, St Aldate's, Oxford. OX1 1BN. Tel: 01865 723569. Several bosses facing the axe NINE senior managers face redundancy at Horton General Hospital in Banbury after 12 other jobs were saved.

It was feared 21 staff could be axed when the hospital is taken over by the Oxford Radcliffe Hospital Trust on April 1.

But the figure has been whittled down to nine after jobs were found for the majority within the new super-trust which will run the John Radcliffe, Churchill and Horton General hospitals.

Horton posts facing the chop include the chief executive, finance director and human resources chief.

Three new posts being advertised due to the takeover are for a Horton operations director, a deputy, and an assistant medical director.

The Horton would be directly represented on the new trust's board by the operations director and a non-executive director.

Mike Fleming, director of personnel and administration at the Oxford Radcliffe Hospital Trust, said £500,000 will be saved in the first year.

This was due to the job losses, and streamlinging administration costs for one trust instead of two.

Mr Fleming said: "We have given a commitment that there will be no clinical redundancies."

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