A RENEWED call has gone out for the return of emergency services to Kidderminster Hospital after a surgeons' supremo blamed its downgrading for mounting problems in Worcester.
Wyre Forest MP Dr Richard Taylor hailed a report by the President of the Royal College of Surgeons stating "the situation is bad and the staff have innumerable problems" at Worcestershire Royal Hospital.
Award-winning Kidderminster Hospital was downgraded in September 2000, with the loss of accident and emergency services, as part of the county health shake-up which saw Worcester's new facility built.
And Sir Peter Morris said the reduction in services at Kidderminster had led to a 40 per cent increase in medical and surgical emergencies at Worcester that "virtually submerged the hospital".
He is approaching the Government with his concerns.
The RCS is an independent professional body committed to promoting high standards of surgical care for patients.
Dr Taylor said Sir Peter had visited surgeons at the Worcester hospital because he had received reports "all was not well".
His report was issued in this month's RCS Bulletin.
Problems cited include:
l Inadequate beds.
l Lack of availability of notes.
l An unreliable electronic radiologi-
cal system.
l Inadequate staff numbers.
l Poor management with no appar-
ent strategy for the trust, clinical pri-
orities or waiting lists.
Dr Taylor hailed the news: "Now consultants at the hospital have spoken out about the problems that have been reported to us repeatedly since the downgrading at Kidderminster.
"Thank goodness a new acting chief executive who recognises that all is not well is in post. He has already made sweeping management changes and I wish him well.
"I can only repeat that part of the answer must be to develop the services, elective and emergency, at Kidderminster as quickly as possible to take the load off Worcester."
A spokesman for Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust said: "We are aware that Sir Peter Morris is raising a number of issues with the Department of Health."
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