WHILE disconcerting tales of dipping morale, lengthening queues and the confidence-sapping diversion of ambulances continue to reach the Evening News, county health officials are keen for us to anticipate other things.

Matters like the Royal Infirmary's nursing recruitment moves, the easing of the hospital's 'bed-blocking' crisis, and the city's new hospital.

We'd like to share such optimism, but what is there to anticipate?

The new hospital will have wonderful facilities but fewer beds than the sites it will replace. Great news for those who manage to find room, but not for those who won't.

New nurses? How many of the existing staff will have decided enough's enough by December?

New ambulance staff? Managers can see the light at the end of the tunnel, but the Trust's sickness problem is appalling and some crews are having to work double shifts to cope.

So-called bed-blockers? Social services tell us that 10 beds had been freed up before Friday, yet there still weren't enough acute beds to cope.

There are hopes that a further £1m will be given to ease the situation in 10 days but, forgive us, we've seen cash injections fail to meet social services needs before.

The effects of switching services across the county after the downgrading of Kidderminster General?

The transfer of car crash victims from Worcester to Kidderminster on Friday makes a mockery of the Investing in Excellence label which county health chiefs have attached to their reorganising work.

They're asking us to fall for Worcestershire's version of the Emperor's new clothes. Except we're not.

We're with those who'd rather admit we were wrong when it's proved that this is, indeed, a temporary crisis than go along with the masquerade and find out, too late, how misguided that was.

One final thought. If our under-funded fire brigade failed to turn up at a call, or did so with half a crew, no one would dare try to deflect public concern. That says it all.