The fates of two Oxfordshire health facilities lie in the hands of Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt following a council meeting earlier today.

Members of the health overview and scrutiny committee (HOSC) unanimously voted to refer the decision to close Witney’s Deer Park Medical Centre to the Secretary of State.

The decision to downgrade maternity services at Horton General Hospital was also referred to Mr Hunt by a unanimous vote from the committee.

On Wednesday, campaigners fighting to save Deer Park Medical Centre lost a High Court battle for a judicial review into the decision to close the practice.

But today HOSC voted unanimously that it represents ‘substantial change’ and should be taken higher.

Patient David Bailey told the committee: “There is no reason to shut this surgery other than the clinical commissioning group’s failure and inflexibility.”

Oxfordshire Clinical Commissioning Group yesterday emailed local authorities to say it was sending out letters to begin dispersing patients.

The 4,400 people registered at the practice are being asked to re-register elsewhere as the practice is due to close on March 31.

Yesterday councillors lambasted the move, saying that treating the closure as a ‘fait accompli’ before the HOSC meeting showed ‘extraordinary contempt’.

Witney councillor Laura Price said: “The whole process has been a railroad. It’s not good enough to sit in front of all these people and say we just have to go along with this because you feel like it’s gone too far and have sent letters out already.”

Representatives from the CCG said it would be too late to consult before the closure, and head of primary care Juli Dandridge said: “If we wait any longer we are asking patients to re-register in a really short time. That’s not safe for patients of Deer Park or Witney.”

It is unclear whether referral to the Health Secretary will lead to a consultation, a delay on the closure or renegotiations with former provider Virgin Care.

MP for Witney Robert Courts, who had urged HOSC to refer the decision, said: “I am very pleased that the HOSC has listened and have unanimously agreed that the consultation around Deer Park was woefully inadequate.

"The practice is so important to the people of west Witney and the surrounding villages that this decision should never have been made so lightly. Deer Park has been my top priority since being elected and I am delighted at this result."

The decision for the Horton comes four months after it began running a midwife-led unit (MLU) service due to staffing issues.

It followed a previous failed motion in October in which members had voted five to three that enough evidence for the urgency of the move had been provided by Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

Bringing forward a fresh motion yesterday, Deddington councillor Arash Fatemian said: “At the time OUH had adequate reasons for acting without consultation. That adequacy test no longer applies.”

All 12 members voted in favour of the move and the Health Secretary will now be expected to rule on whether the change was permissible without public consultation.

Since October 3 all expectant mothers in North Oxfordshire deemed ‘high-risk’ have had to travel to the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford to give birth.

Speaking to the committee ahead of the vote, Bloxham councillor Kieron Mallon said: “Young people and first-time parents are likely to think high-risk relates only to a small number of births.”

The trust said it acknowledged the decision.

Actoin group Keep the Horton General chairman Keith Strangwood said: "This is a very positive result for the 180,000 people of Banburyshire that we represent

"Where it leaves Oxfordshire CCG’s split consultation/Sustainability Transformation plans remains to be seen."