Moorview Hospital closed

7:58am Thursday 22nd June 2006

CAMPAIGNERS said it was a 'sad day' for Witney as Moorview Hospital closed its inpatient ward doors for the last time.

Hospital supporters looked on glumly as removal vans moved in to take away equipment, beds, and furniture after the final inpatient was discharged last week.

"I feel that local campaigns won the arguments in terms of Moorview being an excellent facility backed by local people and accessible for friends and relatives who wanted to visit. Sadly, the decision has been taken and gone the wrong way and West Oxfordshire is losing a valued facility."

David Cameron MP

Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust confirmed at the end of May that it was shutting the 15-bed hospital, which treated elderly people with mental health problems, despite a fierce campaign by residents in the town.

Last week's closure came sooner than expected, although campaigners who organised an 8,500-signature petition against the move said they were not surprised.

The trust has also reduced the opening days of Moorview's day unit from five to three, and this is expected to be reduced further, ahead of complete closure in August or September.

The decision to close the hospital was taken even though the results of three-month public consultation about its future have yet to be released publicly.

Mental health patients will now have to travel to the Fulbrook Centre, at the Churchill Hospital, in Oxford, or the Fiennes Centre, at the Horton Hospital, Banbury.

As reported by the Witney Gazette, Oxfordshire County Council plans to turn Moorview into a day centre for elderly people. Existing day centre services at The Elms, in Church Green, and Moorland Centre, in Dark Lane, will be integrated into the new centre.

But there has been opposition from campaigners who believe the new 'super day centre' is being set up to cut costs, instead of improving services, and that the move will cause distress to users.

Witney MP and Conservative Party leader David Cameron, who went with campaigners to Downing Street last August, to hand in the petition against Moorview's closure, praised the efforts of everyone involved in the campaign.

On Thursday, he will meet Banbury MP Tony Baldry and Wantage MP Ed Vaizey, and mayors from Witney, Carterton, Bicester and Banbury, to hand over a 15,000-signature petition at No 10 against staffing cuts at hospitals in Oxford, and plans to reduce services at the maternity department, children's ward and special care baby unit at the Horton Hospital.

Mr Cameron said he knew Moorview's closure was a 'deep disappointment' for many who recognised the 'tremendous' work it did.

He said: "I feel that local campaigns won the arguments in terms of Moorview being an excellent facility backed by local people and accessible for friends and relatives who wanted to visit. Sadly, the decision has been taken and gone the wrong way and West Oxfordshire is losing a valued facility."

The new day centre is due to open in April 2007.