A KIDDERMINSTER councillor has made a last ditch attempt to save the doomed GP Unit at the town’s hospital after presenting health bosses with a petition signed by thousands of residents.

Wyre Forest Labour group leader, Nigel Knowles, launched a petition to save the unit after the Shuttle revealed in March that staff on the unit, which provides care for up to 24 patients many of whom are elderly and vulnerable, were told by bosses that the ward would shut in six months time.

Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust (WAHT) said they were looking at a model that would provide community-based care and in patient’s homes, but no final decision had been made.

They also said the existing ward is in an older part of the hospital and does not offer a “high quality patient environment”.

Cllr Knowles met with Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust representatives on Wednesday morning (May 18) to present them with paper and online petitions with 4,182 signatures to save the unit.

John Burbeck, chairman of WAHT, confirmed the petition and comments would form part of discussions relating to the GP Unit.

Cllr Knowles said: “What we are demanding is that the ward be kept open, staff kept where they are and nothing happens until they have a health model operative in Wyre Forest.

“I am very angry that we do not have a care model available now. We have lost Cookley Ward, the Grange is being questioned, and we look set to lose the GP Unit.

“In Wyre Forest we will not have any community beds available at all. We are talking about people at the end of their lives – it’s not good enough to say people can be treated in their homes.

“It is not satisfactory – the public are not being involved in any of the decision making.

“This ward seems set to close and they have not made any alternative available in the community. Until we get a facility in the community we cannot think about closing this ward down.

“People will be in need of immediate medical care. Worcestershire Royal Hospital can hardly cope, Redditch’s Alexandra Hospital is the same.

“It is completely unacceptable. A lot of people are concerned.

“If those organisations close the GP Unit, it will be a disaster.”

Mr Burbeck said: “On Wednesday morning I met with Cllr Nigel Knowles who presented a petition ‘Save the GP Community Unit from Closure’ and listened carefully to his views.

“I will now make sure that the petition and comments are fed into the discussions relating to the GP Unit.

“The existing GP ward is located in an older part of the Kidderminster Hospital site and does not offer a high quality patient environment.

“Local GPs are working through ideas as to how this kind of service could be provided within the community and the trust has been keen to support them with that.

“I totally agree with this principle but the CCG will be leading on reviewing options, working with patients and on making sure that we have got the right future model in place.”