TOP Kidderminster consultants say services can still be restored to the town's award-winning hospital after blasting "blatant" pre-election spin they supported its downgrading.

The medical experts have taken strength from Dr Richard Taylor's historic landslide election victory last week to come out fighting against widespread allegations over the county health shake-up.

This saw the closure of inpatient services and downgrading of A&E at the hospital which led to Dr Taylor's astonishing triumph at the polls in opposition to the emasculation of district healthcare.

In two forthright letters to the Shuttle/Times & News they have poured scorn on the claims made by supporters of the county health shake-up, in particular former MP David Lock.

They say the majority of medics opposed the changes but feared being disciplined if they went public, allowing supporters of the scheme to exploit their silence by claiming widespread backing for the controversial shake-up.

Their stance flies in the face of the statement made by Wyre Forest General Practitioners Association, which officially claimed it would be unsafe to restore services.

And the consultants clearly state the changes were made for financial not medical reasons, as stated by Worcestershire Health Authority and Mr Lock.

They are the first consultants to speak out against the downgrading since anaesthetist Reg Johnstone bravely put his head above the parapet to warn of the dangers 18 months ago.

Consultant surgeon Noor Ahmed, who was the former Kidderminster hospital trust's medical director, took up Dr Taylor's appeal for openness and honesty rather than spin and deception within days of the historic victory.

He said: "The most blatant example of misinformation was that consultants and GPs support(ed) the closure.

"I am only aware of two out of the 50-or-so Kidderminster-based consultants who did.

"The rest were keen, willing, and able to continue with services they had provided for decades, until the very end, when the imminent closure and decimation of the former trust's management structure led many of the key staff to leave."

Mr Ahmed also slammed misinformation over the alleged shortage of junior medical staff and problems with Royal College recognition of training posts at the hospital, which were used by the health authority to justify the changes.

He also said false fears on the quality of care at Kidderminster prompted service closures which were disproved by a subsequent audit.

His view was backed by consultant psychiatrists Robin Ireland, Agnes Nalpas, Simon O'Loughlin and Sandy Robertson, who has just retired.

They said: "We believe that a clear majority of local clinicians share our views that local, integrated services have been transformed by financial expediency into distant and disintegrated services."

They added: "We see the disastrous effect of the Private Finance Initiative on services in Worcestershire, and the wrecking of Kidderminster services to pay the rent on the new Worcester hospital.

"Glossy talk of 'better services' for local patients and suggestions the changes were clinically, rather than financially, driven fly shamefully in the face of reality."

However, they concurred Dr Taylor's triumph brought a message of hope and services could still be restored.

Mr Ahmed pointed out the hospital building still stood unless plans to demolish the "first-class" E-Block and replace it with the costly £14 million ambulatory care centre went ahead.

He said: "It will take hard work and patience but this can only be achieved if there is a totally independent management team installed at the hospital genuinely committed to restoring and not destroying it."

See Letters for the full opinions of the consultants.