DISPUTE action is being taken at the Alexandra Hospital after the decision to close the staff smoking room on Septem-ber 17.

Unison spokesman Paul Tasker said he was absolutely fuming after receiving a memo detailing the closure of the smoking room and part of the catering department.

And he said the management for the Worcestershire NHS Acute Hospital Trust had not even consulted staff on the decision, which could result in strike action.

He said: "It is the new management system we seem to have here. We were sent a memo stating the room would close on September 17 and nobody has actually spoken to us about it.

"There has been no consultation; it's like going back 10 years in the health service."

Mr Tasker said there was no mention of a temporary room being made available for smokers.

He said: "We used to work with management and we stopped the staff from smoking outside the hospital and everyone has since been going up to the smokers' room, but now they have nothing.

"Staff have very few facilities anyway, we have no social club or anything like that."

Mr Tasker said if management refused to consult with staff then the final outcome would be strike action.

A spokesman for Worcestershire NHS Acute Hospital Trust said: "The smoking room is due to be closed on September 17 for a short time and there is nowhere else to open it.

"There has been no decision made to say we will not re-open a smoking room, it is a question of finding accommodation for it."

He added:"Half of the catering department has been closed off for refurbishment and decorating.

"The catering facilities will still be there but half the seats will be missing while the work is carried out."