THERE are fears that Redditch's Alexandra Hospital may be downgraded after the exit of more key consultants providing an essential service at the hospital.

Dr David AlDulaimi is resigning from the Alex, run by Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust, and is due to leave in three months.

He is the 6th consultant to walk out in a year.

Chairman of the Redditch and Bromsgrove GP Advisory Forum Dr Jonathan Wells said as a result he was worried about the hospital's "sustainability of services".

Speaking to BBC Hereford and Worcester earlier this week the GP called Dr AlDulaimi a "key" consultant and said it was a blow for the patients of Redditch and Bromsgrove.

"The more services that disappear and people that leave the Alex it will effect the way people start thinking about where they want to go," he said.

"It was a surprise and huge disappointment that he felt it necessary to resign. That has caused me a lot of concern."

Dr Wells questioned why so many senior consultants are leaving and questioned the commitment of the trust continuing acute medicine at the Alex.

But the trust has said it is fully committed to the clinical model which has been developed by clinicians from across the county and is currently going forward to the Clinical Senate

It has also emerged that Dr Martin Fotherby, an acute stroke physician based at Worcester, and Dr James Young, a consultant physician in acute medicine have both quit.

It comes as four A&E consultants quit the hospital last year saying planned changes at the hospital meant there would not be a safe service at the Alex.

A spokesman for the trust said that in the last year it has recruited 41 consultants, 16 specialty doctors, and nine clinical fellows, which equates to 66 senior doctors recruited to cover both sites and more recently Jan Stevens has joined as chief nurse, which shows it is able to attract high calibre, experienced people.

“Ending this uncertainty, will be key to our ability to attract and then keep good people who want to make a difference,” they said.

Chris Tidman chief executive of Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust added: “Whenever people choose to move on it is always an opportunity for somebody else to join our team and help to shape the future of our hospitals.

“It is clear that uncertainty around the future of hospital services in Worcestershire has had an impact on staff morale, but the final proposal agreed by our clinicians is now enabling us to move forward with confidence and with the message to patients and staff that 95 per cent what is delivered at the Alexandra Hospital will remain at the Alex.”

“The fact that we are now delivering the majority of our elective orthopaedic work and plan to move other elective surgery to the Alexandra shows that all of our hospitals have a bright future.”