The Secretary of State for Health and Social Care has today confirmed that the decision to permanently downgrade the Horton General Hospital's maternity unit will be referred to the Independent Reconfiguration Panel (IRP) in a move welcomed by North Oxfordshire MP Victoria Prentis and North Oxfordshire Conservatives.
On 10 August 2017, the Oxfordshire Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) resolved to make permanent the temporary suspension of consultant-led maternity at Banbury's Horton Hospital. As a result, Oxfordshire's Joint Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee (JHOSC) referred the matter to the Rt Hon Jeremy Hunt MP.
Following on from the outcome of the recent Judicial Review, which found in favour of the CCG, Victoria has continued to lobby the Secretary of State, pressing upon the Department of Health the importance of moving forward given widespread uncertainty about the future of the unit.
Today, the Secretary of State wrote to Victoria to let her know that he would be passing the matter onto the IRP to undertake an initial assessment before deciding whether it conducts a full review.
Victoria commented: “I am pleased that the Secretary of State has agreed to pass the decision to the Independent Reconfiguration Panel for consideration. The IRP is the independent expert on NHS service change; it takes into account all available evidence in order to advise the Secretary of State on contested proposals. I have no doubt that they will look at this matter properly and am hopeful that they will agree to undertake a full investigation.”
Banbury Conservatives added: “It is with regret that we find ourselves in a similar position to 2008, when the IRP was last asked to look at maternity provision at the Horton General Hospital. The uncertainty in our community as a result of the CCG’s proposals cannot be understated. We share Victoria’s hope that the IRP will agree to undertake a full investigation and thank her, and all those involved, for their efforts in the campaign so far. We will continue to be united as a community in our opposition to these plans.”