The NHS in Oxfordshire has been valiantly wading through a quagmire of debt and under-funding for more than a decade.

But in recent months the situation has hit crisis point, and now we hear that at least 600 posts are likely to be cut at the county's largest hospital trust.

The Oxford Radcliffe Hospitals NHS Trust was one of the worst-performing organisations in the health service at the beginning of the 21st century, but the dedication of its staff and managers has seen it flourish.

We are told by Government Ministers that the NHS nationwide has received massive extra funding in recent years, and this cannot be denied.

But trusts like the ORH have also had to adhere to a range of strict targets, measures and policies, which have bled them dry financially while they have tried to patch up their rickety services.

Now they are trying to juggle everything to make ends meet.

MPs are rightly concerned about the consequences of job losses. Staff are rightly worried about their future. Do patients need to fear what will happen to the NHS in the next few months and years?

However much sympathy we have for the ORH, surely keeping the public in the dark, allowing rumours to spread, is not the best way forward.

Plenty of other NHS trusts across the UK have revealed their cost-cutting proposals, and we know the consequences in our area are likely to hurt.

But the sooner managers reveal the full details for Oxfordshire, the sooner residents can start campaigning.

The Department of Health and the Government needs to understand that the county will no longer suffer in silence. We are already hearing about petitions, and - if necessary - we are sure people will take their campaign to the ballot box.