RESIDENTS are being told don’t go to A&E unless they have a serious or life threatening condition.

The move, by the county’s three NHS Clinical Commissioning Groups (NHS Redditch and Bromsgrove, NHS South Worcestershire and NHS Wyre Forest) came just days after nine ambulances were forced to queue outside Worcester Royal Hospital before being told to go to the Alexandra Hospital.

This is after it was revealed the Alex could be downgraded following a review into the future of health services.

Proposals put forward by a recent review would see about 25 per cent of emergency cases currently treated at the Alex instead handled in Worcester.

Children’s and women’s services at Redditch could also be affected, with high risk and complex obstetrics cases to be treated in Worcester, along with the sickest children.

As part of the review a second option was presented, for provider University Hospitals Birmingham (UHB) to deliver services at the Alex.

Speaking about the recent incident Stewart Messer, director of operations for Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust, admitted that services came to a “grinding halt”.

He added that the incident, on Monday, March 18, was symptomatic of a busy weekend and apologised for delays.

Just days later the commissioning groups, which run the county’s A&E departments, urged people to think twice before they go to A&E.

Ruth Davoll, from NHS Redditch and Bromsgrove, NHS South Worcestershire and NHS Wyre Forest, said: “If we can get more people to care for themselves when they have minor complaints such as muscular, minor sports injuries and coughs and colds, this will go some way to easing the pressures on our emergency services.”

Neal Stote from the Save The Alex Campaign said it was an obvious message that capacity in Worcester is a major concern.

“This is a clear cut case, and which backs our argument, that it is vital to keep services in Redditch,” he said.

“UHB has at least admitted they could have capacity issues but unlike Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust they have the money to do something about it and have said they will invest in the Alex. The trust still refuses to see it has capacity issues.”

Mr Stote added: “These are concerning times for people. We need a swift decision about what will happen to the Alex because the longer it goes on it’s just bad news.”