NOW that Sir Peter Morris, President of the Royal College of Surgeons, has visited the new Worcester Royal Infirmary and has said that the situation there is bad, and cannot be allowed to continue, will the Government accept his diagnosis?

Sir Peter has confirmed the concerns that have been raised by the public and medical staff in Worcestershire and has said that he will take up the issue with the Department of Health.

In the past, the Government has been eager to accept the recommendations of the Royal College when it was in their political interest to do so.

Will they do so in this case, when it is in the patients' interest?

The Prime Minister's much-vaunted reforms and modernisation of the NHS have resulted in a disastrously worse hospital service in Worcestershire than when New Labour came to power.

The people of Worcestershire, and Wyre Forest in particular, have been subjected to a barrage of spin, and should now be told the details of what is going to happen, instead of vague reassurances of future improvements.

J COOPER, Bewdley.