FOR Mike Ridley, the chief executive of South Worcestershire Primary Care Trust, to state that there is "not local support for the way forward" on the Malvern hospital consultation process, beggars belief.

His statement, made at last night's trust board meeting, would appear to stem from comments made by West Worcestershire MP Sir Michael Spicer.

Sir Michael has said that, unless a detailed business plan for the new hospital was forthcoming, the consultation process was "nothing more than a smokescreen".

This feeling has been echoed by Pat Merrick, of Malvern Hospital League of Friends.

Of course the people of Malvern want a new hospital. What community wouldn't?

But if the consultation process is going to be worthy of its name, people should be given detailed options on where, when and what sort of hospital is on offer.

For Mr Ridley to talk about "hostility and opposition" to the process misses the point entirely. It is the quality of the consultation that matters.

The need for a new hospital in the town was thrown into even sharper relief yesterday, when 20 operations were cancelled as Worcestershire Royal and the Alexandra, in Redditch, ran out of beds.

We are sure staff at the hospitals are doing all they can to alleviate the situation, but without adequate resources across the area, there is little they can do.