CAMPAIGNERS will host a ‘proper’ public meeting on healthcare in Witney and the surrounding areas as they warn of a looming crisis.

Councillors and residents campaigning to reopen Deer Park Medical Centre will host the meeting in the Corn Exchange on Friday at 7pm.

The meeting is being held in response to two recent meetings led by Oxfordshire Clinical Commissioning Group, which some campaigners branded 'obstructive'.

In July an independent panel of experts exploring the closure of Deer Park Medical Centre in March demanded the CCG immediately commission a six-month project to develop a comprehensive plan for primary care and related services in Witney and the surrounding areas.

Following the instruction from the Independent Reconfiguration Panel (IRP), health bosses got to work and have been engaging with the public on the creation of a plan for primary care in West Oxfordshire.

They held two meetings, one in Witney and one in Carterton, to discuss the plan – but have received some criticism from residents, who have suggested a booking requirement and late venue changes put off some people who were keen to engage with the process.

Brenda Churchill, the deputy mayor of Witney and former chairwoman of the patient participation group at Deer Park, said: “We have concerns that they’re not doing what the IRP told them to do. "They’re doing a locality plan – not one that is individual for Witney.

“The important thing now is that we’ve booked the Corn Exchange and we will have a ‘proper’ public meeting to update people on what we will be doing.

“We are not asking people to book a place – if you care, please be there.”

Campaigners plan to take feedback from the meeting to to the CCG.

Mrs Churchill warned that plans for major housing developments in the area were being underestimated by the CCG.

West Oxfordshire district councillor and cabinet member for health Jeanette Baker said that communication was key.

Regarding the closure of Deer Park, she said: "I think the whole process to begin with was totally wrong.

"There wasn't a consultation and I really do admire how the action group have been quite tenacious in following it through."

Recently a Healthwatch report suggested that people in the area had taken to calling 999 to receive care due to the long waiting times for appointments at GP surgeries.

The clinical commissioning group will host another meeting about primary care, at Witney Corn Exchange on Thursday, December 7, between 6.30 and 8pm.

Julie Dandridge, head of primary care at the CCG, said: “We have already met with people in Banbury, Witney and Didcot to hear their views about what is good about their doctor’s surgery and our plans to ensure that these services remain available in the future.

“I really want to encourage more people to come and join us at these workshops to discuss what works well at their GP practice at the moment.”

To book your place at the CCG event and get more information email cscsu.talkinghealth@nhs.net or call 01865 334638.