Fight goes on for Alex Hospital (From Redditch Advertiser)

Fight goes on for Alex Hospital

12:10pm Saturday 2nd March 2013 in News

CAMPAIGN leaders, politicians and councillors have all stressed they will keep on fighting after it was revealed the Alexandra Hospital could be downgraded.

They were responding to the options put forward by the Worcestershire NHS Joint Service Review, looking into the future of Worcestershire’s Hospitals, released last week.

All three of the county’s hospitals, in Kidderminster, Worcester and Redditch will remain open with proposed changes to A&E, maternity and children’s services, health leaders confirmed.

Redditch MP Karen Lumley recently met with the chief executive of Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust (WAHT) Penny Venables and chief executive of University Hospitals Birmingham (UHB) Dame Julie Moore.

Mrs Lumley said that during the meeting it was made clear that UHB are unable to access what services they could bring to the Alex Hospital as WAHT is withholding information on the site.

“There are two options on the table and it is important that UHB is given full access on the Alex site in order to provide a second proposal that residents and staff can look at and have their say on," she said.

"We need grown up politics and grown up decision making. At the moment, UHB are in the ludicrous position of having to use Google maps to access site information.

"I have made clear that I will stand up and carry on the fight until all options are on the table so the people of Redditch can make their decision on the best proposal available.”

She added that the trust should be disappointed in themselves.

Leader of Redditch Council Bill Hartnett said: “The trust advises on the reduced services it wishes to deliver at the Alex with the more serious cases going to Worcester, but I’m extremely disappointed over their silence on what other providers can offer.

“One issue which came up again and again during consultation was access to services in Birmingham which are closer and we must wait to see and hear what they can offer.”