Worcestershire A&E plans 'fatally weaken' hospital says doctors group

The doctors' group claim the A&E plans risk overburdening the already struggling Worcester Royal Hospital

Planned changes to A&E risk "fatally weakening" the Alexandra Hospital in Redditch, according to a body representing doctors in Worcestershire.

Worcestershire Local Medical Committee (WLMC) said it has "no confidence" the trust running the county's hospitals can implement the changes.

The trust plans to downgrade A&E in Redditch and treat more patients at Worcestershire Royal Hospital.

The BBC has so far been unable to contact the trust for a comment.

WLMC is the elected statutory body representing the interests of all the family doctors working in Worcestershire.

'Already struggling'

It said the current plans for A&E in Worcestershire are "a series of piecemeal changes with no coherent strategy or clear timetable for implementation".

Last week a report by a panel of experts, brought in by the West Midlands Clinical Senate, also said it "does not support" plans for a downgraded emergency department at the Alexandra Hospital.

The WLMC statement said: "We believe the senate report recognizes our concern that the changes suggested carry a real risk of fatally weakening the Alexandra Hospital and overburdening the already struggling Worcestershire Royal Hospital."

Neal Stote, chairman of the Save the Alex campaign, said the statement from WLMC "explodes the myth" that concerns about the proposals are limited to just "a few troublemaking GPs".

Following the senate criticisms the trust board said it has set up a working group of emergency medicine clinicians, including experts from outside Worcestershire and local GPs, who will work with the West Midlands Clinical Senate, on "a new model for A&E".

In February, four A&E consultants quit the Alexandra Hospital and a fifth resigned from Worcestershire Royal over concerns about planned changes at the hospitals.

The Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust, which faces a £27.6m deficit, has struggled to meet A&E targets and is subject to a bullying inquiry.

The trust runs Worcestershire Royal Hospital, Kidderminster Hospital and the Alexandra Hospital.