PROPOSALS aimed at securing the future of Banbury’s Horton Hospital will cost the health authority an extra £2m a year it has emerged.

The move comes months after the Better Healthcare Programme, BHP, said consultant-led services were the only way paediatric and maternity services could be saved at the hospital.

At a clinical review meeting earlier this month it was revealed Oxford Radcliffe Hospital Trust’s, ORH, annual budget was £650m with the Horton costing £45m to run.

Last December, the BHP came under fire after it took its proposal to the NHS Oxfordshire board without an idea of cost.

Since then more detailed work has taken place and Oxford Radcliffe Hospital Trust confirmed it would cost an extra £2m to staff the hospital with consultants rather than middle-grade doctors.

The BHP has opted for consultant-led services because of major staff recruiting issues at the hospital because it has no training accreditation.

Andrew Stevens, director of planning and information at the ORH, said: “As part of the proposals that the ORH put to the clinical panel last week we provided some indicative costs which came to £2m.

“More work still needs to be done to fully understand the costs involved.”

The detailed proposals will go before the BHP panel later this month.

If accepted the plans will be presented to the NHS Oxfordshire board, which commission services, this summer.

Separately, at a Save Our Horton campaign meeting on Saturday, MP Tony Baldry said both organisations would have to make savings over the next two years, but said it was clear to maintain the Horton’s services at least £2m was needed.

He said: “The sooner the community has a clear statement of commitment by both the PCT and the ORH to consultant-delivered paediatrics at the Horton, the sooner the community will be reassured of the outcome.

“No-one doubts the commitment of the PCT and the ORH to the process, but this is now a process which has been going on for some two years.

“The recommendations are clear and unambiguous and the time has now come for decisions to be taken.”

BHP, which was set up to secure services at the Horton, has spent the last 20 months trying to find a solution to retain the children's ward and maternity services at the hospital. Several years ago the Independent Reconfiguration Panel overturned a decision by the Oxford Radcliffe Hospitals to downgrade services at the hospital.

It was told to come up with a way of maintaining paediatric and maternity services.