SHOCKWAVES have reverberated across Wyre Forest with the news controversial health chief Harold Musgrove has resigned.

And the question on everyone's lips is was the man who masterminded the early downgrading of Kidderminster Hospital pushed or did he fall?

Mr Musgrove, chairman of Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust, is to stand down in December - 10 months earlier than expected.

He said he felt "the time was right" to leave and stressed there was no hidden agenda.

However, Mid-Worcestershire MP Peter Luff believes the health chief may have been put under pressure by ministers to quit.

Mr Luff is to table a parliamentary question asking why Mr Musgrove's contract is being terminated early.

He said: "Knowing Harold Musgrove as I do, I would be surprised if this was a decision he has reached entirely on his own.

"I wonder if he was under some kind of pressure from Ministers to go early?"

The last health minister to visit Worcestershire, John Hutton, was confronted with a host of complaints from Wyre Forest constituents.

Wyre Forest MP Dr Richard Taylor outlined a series of hospital horror reports including a patient who was forced to lie next to a corpse for 24 hours, when he met the minister at Kidderminster Hospital.

Dr Taylor would not be drawn further on his meeting with Mr Hutton but was delighted at the news of Mr Musgrove's departure.

He said: "I have not made any secret of the fact that I have found it difficult, if not impossible, to work with Mr Musgrove and I am pleased that he has decided to leave.

"He was brought in to force through changes and the fact that he is going shows that the plan was flawed and unenforceable from the start.

"I can only hope against hope whoever takes over will be someone we can work with."

The health chief, who has survived more resignation calls than an England football manager, was dismissive of Dr Taylor, 67, who was elected on a health ticket with a majority of 17,630.

Mr Musgrove, three years his senior, said: " Richard Taylor is a nice old chap but a minor irritant.

"Kidderminster is only a small part of services in Worcestershire."

The health boss admitted last month that the new Worcester hospital would be 90 beds short - something health campaigners had been saying for years.

He also sparked fury among campaigners, whom he previously accused of scaremongering, when he admitted last year health services in Worcester were "disgraceful".