Response to the Acute Hospital Services Review delay

Responding to news that the review of the Acute Hospital Services Review been delayed, leaders from Redditch Borough and Bromsgrove and Stratford-on-Avon District Councils have issued their responses.

Stratford-on-Avon's Leader Cllr Chris Saint said: “This delay is not unexpected and the occurrence of local elections in May and the extended purdah publicity restrictions beforehand have been used as further delaying tactics. We need to react to this delay by keeping the campaign in the headlines to focus attention on the local importance of the Alex.  Once we let it go under the radar its future could be compromised."

Redditch Leader Cllr Bill Hartnett said: “I am not surprised by this delay and fear it may be an excuse for downgrading services at the Alex which must not be allowed to happen. We are still waiting for a response from the Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Health Dr Dan Poulter MP and this latest update demonstrates that he needs to personally intervene now more than ever.

Bromsgrove's Leader Cllr Margaret Sherrey said: “It looks like consultation will not start until the Spring and while a certain level of delay was expected I was not expecting it to be this long a process. Perhaps by waiting until after elections the Board are expecting a political change in opinion but, as you can see from this joined up approach from the three Councils, this goes beyond the ballot box. I do understand the budget constraints but I do feel patients' well-being must take priority so in the meantime I intend to keep this review on the local agenda so it does not lose momentum."