THE decision to permanently downgrade maternity services at the Horton General Hospital is not a cost cutting exercise, insist health chiefs.

Bosses suggest the controversial move, which also includes centralising acute stroke services, closing a further 36 acute beds and reducing the level of critical care at the Horton in Banbury, could even cost more.

Speaking after board members of Oxfordshire Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) decided to approve phase one of Oxfordshire’s Sustainability and Transformation Plan (STP), its clinical lead Joe McManners said the measures were all in the interests of patients’ safety.

He added: “The decision today will not save any money, it may even cost a bit more.

“There is an underlying problem where there is not enough money to provide the care longer term.”

But there is an even bigger problem facing the CCG, which led it to make the ‘difficult decision’ to downgrade maternity services.

Chief Executive David Smith added: “The other issue is the workforce.

“The decision surrounding obstetrics and maternity services are driven by the fact we cannot get the staff to safely run it.

“And then we have issues with the cost of living and affordable housing, one of the problems we are facing is making sure these jobs are attractive particularly to younger people.”

But it is not all over for the passionate campaigners lobbying and chanting ‘no ifs, no buts, no NHS cuts’ and ‘hands off the Horton’ outside Oxford Examinations School on Thursday morning ahead of the meeting.

The plan to permanently downgrade maternity services at the Horton will now be referred to Secretary of State Jeremy Hunt for review.

Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee chairman and Oxfordshire County Councillor Arash Fatemian said: “I am very disappointed with the CCG did not take on board the community’s feeling with regards to the maternity services at the Horton.

“Over the next few days, a case will be put together and sent to the Secretary of State.

“I will also be writing to the Chair of the CCG to ensure they do not make any permanent decisions until this has been referred.

“Overall I am disappointed as they have refused to engage and we do not know the whole picture yet and what will happen with the second phase of plans.”

This autumn will see the start of a new 'public engagement' process, where the CCG will begin floating ideas for the second phase of the STP, with plans going out to consultation for a year.