Campaigners in Witney fighting to save the town's Moorview Hospital are angry that a public consultation meeting is being held in the afternoon when many people are at work.

The Moorland Road hospital, which treats older people with mental health problems, may be closed to help plug a projected £7.2m hole in the Oxfordshire Mental Healthcare NHS Trust's budget.

The North Oxfordshire PCT Partnership is asking the public for its views on the plans at a meeting later this month, but campaigners have now decided to hold their own meeting as well.

Richard Leader, from the Moorview Action Group, said: "The PCT is holding its meeting between 2pm and 4pm.

I"n every other town in Oxfordshire they're holding an afternoon and an evening meeting, yet Witney has the only hospital that's likely to close.

"They're carrying out the consultation at a time when most people are at work, so we're holding our own meeting."

Mr Leader addressed the joint health overview and scrutiny committee at County Hall in Oxford, the committee charged with examining the NHS's plans.

Simon Hoare, of West Oxfordshire District Council, who sits on the committee, said: "We have to be realistic, there's a financial crisis in the Oxfordshire health economy. But even within that arena of realism that we have some serious questions.

"The consultation paper refers to the likely use of day centres as a replacement, and I don't think likely is good enough. And then what happens to people in the evenings and at weekends?

"I'm just not convinced the clinical needs of the county are being sufficiently considered. What's driving this is the shortfall in the finances, and that's not sustainable."

The PCT consultation meeting runs from 2pm to 4pm on Tuesday, April 11, at Langdale Hall, Witney.

It will be followed by a special meeting of the district council's economic and social overview and scrutiny committee at 5pm in the district council offices at Wood Green, Witney.

The Moorview Action group's meeting is being held on Thursday at 7.30pm in the Corn Exchange, Witney.