CAMPAIGNERS are celebrating after hospitals chiefs made a dramatic last-minute u-turn over the future of Kidderminster's Cookley Ward.

Costly agency doctors will now continue to provide out-of-hours cover for the ward, despite hospitals bosses announcing a fortnight ago they were being axed to save cash.

And in another twist to the Kidderminster Hospital story, the future of its switchboard has become shrouded in mystery after trade unions complained about a mooted transfer to Redditch.

The 11th hour change-of-heart on Cookley Ward safeguards it as a key rehabilitation unit for people recovering from serious illnesses and surgery.

Cash-strapped Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust chiefs revealed last month they did not intend to renew an agency's £250,000 annual contract to provide resident night and weekend medical and resuscitation cover for the ward and the rest of the hospital.

Instead they announced trust-employed doctors living nearby would provide cover "on call" from their homes.

However, extra on-site medical cover also had to be arranged in case a patient needed urgent life-saving aid - and that has proved a stumbling block.

Talks between the trust and Wyre Forest Primary Care NHS Trust failed to come up with a solution, forcing the hospital to renew the agency contract "for the time being" but at a lower cost than previously.

Health Concern vice-chairman Malcolm Cooper said: "It's good news in that there's a recognition there needs to be medical cover at the hospital and that GPs are not going to be held responsible for providing it.

"The trust should now look to make proper, permanent appointments which would be cheaper than using agency doctors."

Dr James Goodman, PCT board member, said many options and concerns were discussed, including asking GPs on duty at the out-of-hours primary care centre in the hospital grounds to respond to emergencies. They had been unwilling to do so.

"I am disappointed we could not together work out a creative solution to this problem but quite pleased that the resident medical officers are staying for now.

"In the long term the PCT hopes to take over managing the ward," he added.

The hospital's communications chief Richard Haynes said: "Further detailed consideration has been given to the way medical cover and resuscitation facilities are provided for the site as a whole, including Cookley Ward.

"As a result of these considerations, and following discussions with our partners at Wyre Forest Primary Care Trust, out-of-hours cover for the site will, for the time being, continue to be provided by resident medical officers."

He added the cost of using the agency doctors had now been significantly reduced.

The saga had raised fears that Cookley Ward would be closed completely and patients transferred back to Worcester, or at least significantly downgraded.

Meanwhile, Mr Haynes said trade unions had raised "a number of concerns" about the proposed transfer of the switchboard to the new system being installed at Redditch's Alexandra Hospital, and talks are ongoing.

Switchboard staff had raised a petition in protest while Kidderminster Hospital League of Friends have offered to take it over.