I AM shocked and saddened at plans to close the Deer Park Medical Centre in Witney and worry about the impact the closure will have on Witney’s other GP surgeries, which are themselves already under enormous pressure.

But I am equally astounded by the hypocrisy of some of Witney’s local politicians.

Conservative councillors Brenda Churchill and Jim King have been quick to criticise the proposals but seem totally oblivious to the fact that this is happening as a result of their party’s policy to sell off and privatise large parts of the NHS.

The closure of Deer Park surgery is another example of the consequences of the fragmentation of the health service.

Unaccountable private providers pulling out when they can’t make the profits they want and more and more precious NHS money wasted on compulsory tendering and litigation.

Caught up in this are the patients and valued staff whose voice has all but disappeared.

The fact remains that when the Conservatives came to power in 2010, the proportion of the NHS budget spent on local GP surgeries was at 11 per cent, it’s now down to less than seven per cent. Meanwhile the demand on GP surgeries has risen by a third.

The blame for this lies firmly with the politicians.

If Cllrs Churchill and King are serious about saving this surgery and defending our NHS I cannot see how in all consciousness they can continue as Conservative councillors, they are after all the ones to blame for this crisis.

DREW CARTER

Burford Road, Witney