THE one subject I am regularly being asked about is the future of the Alexandra Hospital in Redditch, writes Karen Lumley in her Letter From Westminster for the Advertiser.

It is the number one local concern for the residents of the town and further afield, and it has undoubtedly been the one dominant issue during my time as MP.

So where are we now?

So much has happened in the last five years or so that one could be forgiven for being confused.

Well, Worcestershire's Programme Board, which oversees the future of Acute Hospital services in Worcestershire, has accepted the latest clinical model for future services and recommended it to the three Clinical Commissioning Groups (one in Redditch and Bromsgrove, one in South Worcestershire and one in Kidderminster) for approval.

This has already happened at meetings of Redditch and Bromsgrove and South Worcestershire CCGs last Thursday (28 January).

Kidderminster was set to look at the model this week.

Under the proposed model it is said that 95 per cent of patients will see no change to the way they currently access services in the county and all three acute hospitals in the county will remain open.

Adult A&E will remain at the Alex with robust arrangements for managing a seriously sick child if they arrive unexpectedly or their condition deteriorates and they need an inpatient stay in hospital.

As far as maternity services are concerned, it is proposed, going forward, that consultant-led births are centralised in Worcester, but with ante-natal and post-natal care remaining in Redditch.

While I do have concerns over transport and parking as well as the sustainability of these services, the deal on the table now is far better than some that have been suggested over the years.

I will of course continue to listen to the views of my constituents on the matter, but services have to be safe for all and I will be taking part in the next consultation which will probably be scheduled for June of this year.

First though the plans have to be approved by the three CCGs as described above.

They will then have to be reviewed by the West Midlands Clinical Senate and then onto NHS England.

Nothing will change while these various consultations are ongoing.

I do hope I have managed to clarify some of the issues involved, and of course I will keep you updated as the story unfolds.

To keep up to date with what I am doing, visit tellkaren.com/ or follow facebook.com/Karen4RedditchCounty.