Pull together for hospital

2:28pm Monday 5th May 2008

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I NOTE the visit by the Shadow Minister for Health to Kidderminster Hospital and his support for the Minor Injuries Unit and the development of a doctor-led service to expand the scope of the unit to treat more patients locally and prevent significant numbers having to go to Worcester.

As both main political parties were complicit in the drastic downgrading of the hospital, it was most comforting that the Tories have seen the light and have at last come round to adopt the policy that Health Concern have been advocating since the downgrading.

What must not be lost sight of is the fact that this development, and at this stage this is only for a trial period, was facilitated by a major financial contribution from the population of Wyre Forest through the Hospital League of Friends and encouraged by our MP, Dr Richard Taylor.

It is essential that all parties continue to exert maximum pressure on both the Acute Hospital Care Trust and the Primary Care Trust to maintain the doctor-led unit and develop further to provide a doctor presence in the evenings and weekends and to link in with the emergency out-of-hours service.

This would also have the benefit of simplifying the emergency service which at present most people find extremely complicated.

HOWARD EELES Wyre Forest district councillor Health Concern