MP locks horns with hospital campaigner

Hospital campaigner Dr Richard Taylor, who is standing in the General Election, said the ACAD would be the first in the UK not on the site of an acute hospital.

He also refers to American ACADs which are permitted to carry out only minor surgical procedures unless "adequate emergency back-up services" are available "within 15 minutes rush-hour driving time".

"This is clearly impossible in Kidderminster now," he said in a letter to members of the local medical community.

"The use of an ACAD in Kidderminster will be limited because surgeons won't do any operations on the elderly or on anyone with any risk because general anaesthetic without full back-up is risky."

He called the ACAD a waste of resources and described the refurbishment of E-block at Kidderminster Hospital as a "white elephant" facility.

But David Lock dismissed the hospital candidate's fears as "the last desperate cry of someone who is out of date and out of touch".

"It will be seen by the public as being no more than scaremongering the elderly and vulnerable to get votes," he said.

"I am very sad that a campaign that began with such noble motives has now descended into such vitriolic attacks on doctors who have had the courage to back unpopular but medically necessary steps.

"This letter shows how far Richard Taylor has lost touch with the medical community.

"The doctors I have spoken to are both angry and disappointed at his stance.

"Richard Taylor does not have to sit in surgery like they do correcting all the misinformation and explaining that the changes have medical support and between 80 and 90 per cent of patients will still be treated in Kidderminster.

"These changes have happened for medical reasons as our doctors have explained time and time again.

"Richard has accepted that the changes have been made and accepted that, even if he was elected, there is no going back.

"He is fighting yesterday's battles."