LEADERS of the review which could see a major overhaul of Worcestershire’s hospital services have urged the public to “stick with” the process.

About 75 people attended a meeting held by NHS Worcestershire to discuss its joint services review at Kidderminster Town Hall today.

The session discussed six potential models of care for the future of acute hospital services in the county - two threaten Kidderminster Hospital with downgrading or closure.

As a minimum, however, each model would see minor injury treatment facilities, outpatient services and some diagnostic services remain where they are - including the Kidderminster site.

Clinicians and health bosses also outlined the criteria for shortlisting those models, which includes deliverability, quality and access. Shortlisting, which is the next stage of the process, takes place in August.

Audience members, who were split into groups, then discussed what they had heard.

A question and answer session saw health leaders interact with the audience - which included members of the public, politicians and health workers.

Concerns were raised about the “honesty” of the models, which do not specifically name hospital sites. Another question asked if clinicians had “already made their decision”, suggesting “Kidderminster is doomed”.

Chris Fearns, review project director, said: “People need to let the process run and stick with it the whole way through. We are listening to everyone.

“We are on stage three of eight. If we had left it until stage eight to engage with the public, naming specific sites and services, people would have asked ‘how did you come to this without involving us?’ “We always ran the risk of exciting people with little detailed information but we took that risk on the basis of being open and transparent.

“The feedback I have had about ths meeitng is people feel this is the right sort of process in which they will get across their opinions and concerns.

“My message to the people of Kidderminster is to acknowledge this is a very early stage. Moving on to the next stage we will have a greater sense of the details.”

Mrs Fearns added no financial analysis of the models had yet been carried out as, at this stage, clinicians were focusing on whether the options were "clincally safe and quality".

There will be another public engagement meeting at Kidderminster Town Hall on Tuesday with spaces still available.

Places must be reserved by calling Worcestershire NHS on 01905 733981 or sending an email to worcsnhsjsr@worcestershire. nhs.uk