How far is too far?

doi:10.1136/bmj.39344.638623.AD

BMJ 2007;335:640-641 (29 September), doi:10.1136/bmj.39344.638623.AD

Feature

Maternity services

How far is too far?

Adrian O'Dowd, freelance journalist

Margate

adrianodowd@hotmail.com

Any change to local hospital services is unlikely to win instantacceptance, but plans to close the obstetric department atan Oxfordshire hospital have stirred up particularly strongfeelings, as Adrian O'Dowd reports

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

Many acute trusts in England are currently considering reconfiguringsome of their services. All over the country battle lines arebeing drawn as patients and doctors fight to save local hospitals,and in one case the dispute has become so intense that the healthsecretary has been called in to make a judgment.

One of several changes proposed by Oxford Radcliffe HospitalsNHS Trust is to close its consultant led obstetrics departmentat the Horton General Hospital in Banbury and replace it witha midwife led birthing unit, which would be the country's largestsuch unit. The trust argues that change has come because oflong held concerns over the long term safety and sustainabilityof medical staffing of children's services at the Horton. Itclaims the changes overall will cost the trust an extra £593000 ( ${euro}$ 893 000; $1.2m) annually, alongside a capital programmeof £7m investment at . . . [Full text of this article]