HEALTH campaigners remained unimpressed by Ms Cooper's visit to the hospital.

Save Kidderminster Hospital Campaign chairman Dr Richard Taylor said it was obvious the Government was still not listening to the people of Wyre Forest, who have fought to restore services.

He said: "The Government has lost a golden opportunity to show that the Prime Minister was really hearing the people of Bewdley when he visited them about the floods and was told by flooded people that the floods would go but the hospital changes were more important.

"The PM said he would look into it - local people are still waiting."

Dr Taylor said it had not been proved in the UK that an ambulatory care centre distant from the site of an acute general hospital was either safe or practical.

He also stated it was little comfort putting the development of health services in the hands of district GPs who were "in agreement with the Government but at loggerheads with local people about these very developments".

About the ambulatory care centre, he said: "Strong resistance to such units is being expressed by clinicians elsewhere, for example in Glasgow.

"To pour millions into the drastic reconstruction of E Block - completed in 1995 as a purpose built acute ward, operating theatre and outpatient block - is in my opinion a complete waste of money on what may turn out to be a white elephant."