HEALTH bosses were faced with cries of ‘shame’ from an audience in Witney after refusing to call the closure of a GP practice with more than 4,000 patients a ‘substantial change’.

More than 100 residents filled the town’s Corn Exchange last Thursday for a meeting about proposed changes to health services across the county.

Campaigners for Deer Park Medical Centre, which is due to close at the end of March, used the meeting to challenge Oxfordshire Clinical Commissioning Group’s (OCCG) approach to the closure.

After a presentation on county-wide changes to the NHS, Witney MP Robert Courts was the first to raise the matter of Deer Park Medical Centre.

He said: “You haven’t mentioned two matters which will be of great concern to people in Witney, the community hospital and Deer Park Medical Centre.

“What will the impact of these proposals be on the people of Witney, particularly in regard to the services in the town they value most?”

No changes to Witney Community Hospital have been suggested but it is believed proposals about its future will form part of the next phase of OCCG's consultation.

Locality clinical director for OCCG Dr Miles Carter responded by saying that nobody in the organisation wanted Deer Park to close.

He said when the contract went out to tender last year no bids were submitted which offered to provide the service at an affordable cost.

The contract had previously been held by Virgin Care.

On February 2, Oxfordshire’s health overview and scrutiny committee (HOSC) unanimously voted to declare the closure of Deer Park a ‘substantial change’ and asked Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt to review the plans.

Many residents questioned members of OCCG on its decision to send out letters advising patients about changing surgery after the referral by HOSC.

One resident said: “In view of HOSC’s decision to refer the matter to the Secretary of State, would it not be better to await the outcome rather than ploughing ahead?”

Chief executive of OCCG David Smith said: “As a CCG we have been very open with HOSC for some months.

“The issue they’ve referred us on is about whether or not [the closure of Deer Park Medical Centre] is a substantial change.

“As far as OCCG is concerned this is not a substantial change.”

Many in the audience expressed their anger at the comment, with some residents shouting ‘shame’.

Mr Smith went on to emphasise that Deer Park Medical Centre is closing at the end of March and said OCCG must advise patients on registering with alternative surgeries.

Campaigners fighting to save the centre have urged patients to remain registered at Deer Park until Mr Hunt makes a decision.