Petition to save Redditch A&E department signed by 4,000

Signatures are being gathered in Redditch

A petition opposing the potential closure of an accident and emergency unit in Worcestershire has been signed by 4,000 people, organisers say.

A&E could close at the Alexandra Hospital in Redditch as part of a shake-up of NHS services in the county.

Protesters were out in Redditch earlier to collect more signatures.

Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust said it needs to save £50m by 2015. Services will also be hit in Worcester and Kidderminster.

A series of <link> <caption>public meetings</caption> <url href="http://www.worcestershirehealth.nhs.uk/joint-services-review/" platform="highweb"/> </link> are being held to explain the proposals and to discuss six proposals put forward, four of which recommend closing an A&E department.