Today, we celebrate a very special milestone as the Horton General Hospital turns 150 years old!
Opening in 1872 with two wards and just 12 beds, the Horton has come a long way indeed, now serving a wide catchment of some 170,000 people. All of us have memories of the hospital, some happy and some painful. It has been there for us and generations of our families. I am determined to do everything I can to make sure that we keep services at the Horton. We must continue to modernise the site and its structures to ensure it can care for the Banbury residents of the future.
I know we have been waiting a long time for a decision to be made on the Horton’s bid to be included as one of the final eight hospitals to receive funding from the government’s health infrastructure plan. I have been told that the submission is still under active consideration by the Department for Health and Social Care. Even if we are not successful this time, I am reassured that the Trust now has a coherent plan for the future of our hospital, and we will keep up the pressure to ensure this is delivered.
