A HEALTH chief has spoken to the Redditch Advertiser to allay fears the Alexandra Hospital's accident and emergency department could be closed at night.
Limits on junior doctors' hours, due to come into force next year under the European Working Time Directive, prompted fears A&E departments would find it difficult to cope.
Junior doctors' hours will be cut to 58, which health bosses feared would lead to A&E departments being unable to provide 24-hour cover.
But Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust's medical director, Dr Charles Ashton, said it wouldn't affect the Alexandra because doctors had worked a shift system for years.
But Dr Ashton said other areas could be hit.
He explained: "With something like general surgery, where we will not have enough junior doctors to keep both sites fully staffed at all times, both hospitals will have to work together.
"Some days surgical admissions would go to the Alex and other days they would go to Worcester.
"By working together across specialities across the county is how we envisage developing the service. It may mean more transfer of patients between sites but both will remain with fully-fledged A&E departments."
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