THE head of the organisation running Worcestershire’s three major hospitals has refused to disclose why five of the trust’s consultants resigned simultaneously earlier this month.

Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust was thrown into turmoil after five A&E consultants – including the entire emergency team at Redditch’s Alexandra Hospital – handed in their resignations on Friday, February 13.

Speaking at the monthly meeting of the trust’s board last week, chairman Harry Turner said he and his colleagues had met with the five but refused to confirm why they had chosen to leave.

“That is a matter between us and them,” he said.

Speaking after the meeting Mr Turner added, despite claims by pressure group Save the Alex, their resignations were not connected with bullying.

Emergency consultants are required to give at least three months notice and none of the consultants – all of whom have been offered jobs in Warwick – are expected to leave before May.

At the meeting the trust’s chief medical officer Mark Wake said the organisation faced “a very challenging time”.

“The challenges in Worcestershire are quite acute and it’s going to take a lot of focus and effort, he said.

“The first reaction is to go to locum agencies and we’ve already done that.

“The situation nationally is extremely tight and terms of emergency consultants.

“60 to 70 per cent of trusts have recently advertised for emergency consultants.”

Adverts for agency consultants to fill the positions on a temporary basis have been placed at jobs.nhs.uk, but this could come at a heavy cost, with temporary staff paid significantly more than their permanent equivalents, some netting more than £1,000 a shift.

Permanent positions are expected to be advertised soon.

Chief executive with the trust – which runs Worcestershire Royal Hospital as well as Kidderminster Hospital and Redditch's Alex – Penny Venables said the organisation’s primary focus was ensuring was ensuring patients got the care they needed.

“It’s business as usual at the moment,” she said.

“All our colleagues are committed to their notice periods.”

She added the trust was looking at “all possibilities” to maintain including collaborating with other trusts.

A report presented at the meeting showed the organisation is currently looking to fill 31.5 full-time roles with expensive temporary staff.