STAFF who leave the Alexandra Hospital will not be replaced and the purchase of new equipment will be avoided under drastic measures to try and stamp out spiralling debts. But health bosses claim patient safety will not be compromised.

Health chiefs at Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust are warned they must take urgent action to avoid debts at the Alex, Worcestershire Royal and Kidderminster hospitals rocketing to more than £30m.

Unless measures are put in place, finance bosses are predicting a £4.9m overspend - on top of the trust's existing deficit of £25.6m.

To further compound matters, if it fails to balance the books, the trust also stands to lose out on an extra £6.7m from the West Midlands South Strategic Health Authority.

As part of a package of measures to try and curb spending between now and the end of March, the appointment of clinical and non-clinical staff is to be delayed and non-pay related expenditure is to be avoided or delayed where possible. But Richard Haynes, spokesman for the trust, said patient safety would not be compromised.

Management are hoping an urgent review - to reduce spending by £20m a year - which could see some Alex services relocated, will mean this is the last of the budget squeezing.

Trust chiefs were set to outline the issues they face at Worcestershire County Council's health overview and scrutiny committee at County Hall, Worcester, yesterday.

Councillor Simon Geraghty said: "We recognise that there has been a lot of public feeling expressed over the trust's initial proposals and so we are looking forward to a full briefing on the issues.

"I'm committed to ensuring we are kept up to speed with developments to enable us to make informed comments at the appropriate time during the formal consultation process. A member of the committee has already attended the independent review panel meetings as an observer."