Health secretary Frank Dobson has been blamed for the indefinite closure of a hospital ward, after failing to make a decision for almost a year.

Abingdon Hospital managers said they had to close the ward to save money because Mr Dobson failed to make a decision on the future of Watlington and Burford hospitals.

Now Oxford West and Abingdon MP Evan Harris has written a strongly worded letter to Mr Dobson saying: "The excessive delay in making this decision is leading to closure by default. In the absence of your decision these cuts are being made. For patients and their families in the Abingdon area your failure to decide one way or another has led to greater closures than would otherwise have been the case." Oxfordshire Health Authority wants Oxfordshire Community Hospitals Trust to close the two hospitals and other beds elsewhere to save £1.15m. Abingdon Hospital would lose 18 beds - but 24 beds will be lost when Ward One at the hospital closes in early October and stroke and heart attack patients are moved into Ward Two, reopening this month.

Ruth Reid, Unison convener for the community trust said: "Frank Dobson is making our members' situation untenable." Abingdon Town councillor Lesley Legge, co-ordinator of the Campaign Against Bed Closures at Abingdon Community Hospital, said: "I am disappointed, saddened and appalled at the situation."

Ally Green, spokesman for the hospital trust, said if Frank Dobson threw out the proposals, the trust would have to re-open the ward.

Story date: Friday 03 September

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