REDDITCH MP Jacqui Smith is supporting the Advertiser's campaign to stop the downgrading of the Alexandra Hospital.

And Government minister Ms Smith has also agreed to hand over to health chiefs the hundreds of completed petition forms being collected by us.

Thousands of readers have already put their names to our petition as a storm of anger over the "ourageous" proposals gathers.

Ms Smith (right) is also writing to every resident asking for their comments about the proposed cuts, which include moving the accident and emergency department to Worcester.

Residents will get the chance to quiz health chiefs at a public meeting on November 10.

The meeting, organised by Ms Smith, will be at the town hall from 7pm.

On Friday, Ms Smith told Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust chairman Michael O'Riordan she could not see how £20 million could be recovered through service cuts.

"Even the trust's own figures show the savings from service cuts are relatively minor and I cannot believe the pain is going to be worth the gain," she said.

"If the Alex was run efficiently in terms of beds, charging for work and smarter management of patients, then no cuts in services would be needed."

Anger has also been mounting among the town's political parties over plans to centralise inpatient obstetric, gynaecology and paediatric departments and transfer A&E, emergency surgical services, cancer surgery and critical care to the Worcestershire Royal Hospital.

Conservative Parliamentary spokesman Karen Lumley said the changes would be "catastrophic", while Tory group leader Councillor Carole Gandy described them as "an attack on women and children".

Further concerns were echoed by Bromsgrove Council chairman and Wythall Parish Councillor Jill Dyer, who pointed out there was no direct public transport link between the Worcestershire Royal Hospital and Alvechurch, Beoley and Wythall.

Meanwhile, Wyre Forest MP Dr Richard Taylor is offering his campaign experience to help health campaigners unseat Ms Smith.

The independent member ousted Labour's David Lock in 2001 by campaigning against the downgrading of Kidderminster Hospital.

Readers are asked to sign the Advertiser petition by October 31 by calling into our Church Green East reception.

You can also take forms away with you to be signed by family, friends and colleagues and return them by post to Alex Petition, Redditch Advertiser, Yorkshire Bank Chambers, 7 Unicorn Hill, Redditch B97 4QR.

REDDITCH Council will tomorrow launch a ballot for residents to have their say on the future of the Alex. People can cast their vote in council venues including the town hall, One Stop Shops, community centres, sports centres and in Sainsbury's and Tesco supermarkets until noon on November 18, when the papers will be collected and returned for counting.