Concerns over Alexandra Hospital consultant's resignation

David AlDulaimi is the sixth consultant to quit the hospital in 14 months

A "well respected" senior consultant's resignation from a trust is cause for concern, claims a clinician.

Dr David AlDulaimi is resigning from Alexandra Hospital in Redditch, which is run by Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust.

Trust advisory forum chair Dr Jonathan Wells said he was worried about the hospital's "sustainability of services".

It comes as four A&E consultants quit the hospital last year.

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Dr Wells, chair of the Redditch and Bromsgrove GP Advisory Forum, said: "The news that he's resigned is somewhat of a shock and a great disappointment.

"It does make me worry about the sustainability of services at the Alexandra Hospital - it's another cause for concern."

He said Dr AlDulaimi was a "key" consultant gastroenterologist at the hospital, which was a "key part of acute medicine".

'Uncertainty'

A trust spokesperson said it believed Dr AlDulaimi had found work elsewhere.

Trust chief executive Chris Tidman said: "We are naturally disappointed when anybody chooses to move on from our hospitals and wish Dr AlDulaimi all the best in his future career."

He admitted "uncertainty around the future of hospital services" had impacted staff morale, but said a proposal agreed by clinicians would ensure 95% of services at the Alexandra Hospital would remain.

The four A&E consultants who resigned en masse said planned changes at the hospital meant it would have "neither an A&E service nor a safe service", it later emerged.

But the trust has said A&E will not close.

A review said a maternity unit would be downgraded, most children's services moved to Worcester and A&E changed to urgent care centre with more advanced cases treated in Worcester.

The trust said Dr AlDulaimi leaving was not linked with the mass resignations of A&E consultants last year.

Neonatal services were moved from the hospital to Worcestershire Royal in October last year due to staff shortages.