A SUCCESSFUL health campaign in the Midlands could be the template for services returning to Kidderminster Hospital.

Wyre Forest Primary Care Trust, which commissions health services for 110,000 people in the area, said it will consider future provision based on the Solihull Hospital model.

Solihull's A&E department was due to be downgraded to a minor injuries unit, which happened in Kidderminster in September 2000.

However, after pressure from residents and MPs a U-turn last month resulted in plans for a local emergency centre.

Wyre Forest PCT leaders Peter Forrester, chief executive, Dr Jim Goodman, executive committee chairman, and David Priestnall, chairman, said in a statement: "The service in Solihull will cost an additional £1.6 million and will be overseen by a doctor. It will be considered in terms of its applicability to Wyre Forest.

"The Solihull model of a medical assessment unit, consultant-led care during peak periods, emergency nurse practitioner and registrar-led care at night and weekends is endorsed by local campaigners.

"It has the potential to be the appropriate model for Kidderminster."

They stressed Solihull was based on a different hospital infrastructure to Worcestershire but they were pressing for an appropriate range of emergency services for district people.

However, the services should have the support of not only district folk but doctors too.

The trust members said they were committed to developing services at the site.

An example being the 20-bed Wyre Forest Community Unit which has seen a 15 per cent reduction in district people needing emergency admission to an acute hospital.

Wyre Forest MP Dr Richard Taylor welcomed the support of the trust. He said: "I've had lots of talks with Mr Forrester and Dr Goodman and they are very seriously looking at ways of developing services at Kidderminster.

"I'm heartened by their stance and hopeful of seeing more services developed on the site."