Save the Alex Campaign – Council leaders come together to urge Health Secretary to step in

Frustrated council leaders are joining forces to urge the Secretary of State to step in and make sure that the future of health services is based on residents' needs.

The letter to Rt Hon Jeremy Hunt MP asks that University Hospitals Birmingham (UHB) are allowed to bid for the provision of health services to be provided at the Alex in Redditch.

Signed by Redditch Borough Council Leader Cllr Bill Hartnett, Bromsgrove District Council Leader Roger Hollingworth and Stratford District Council Leader Cllr Chris Saint, it follows 12 months after all models under the Joint Services Review (JSR) were worked up. The letter questions whether the consultation which followed was 'true' consultation although it resulted in two options being:

• Option 1 - Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust (WAHT) delivers the revised model of care and continues to operate across the three existing sites
• Option 2 - Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust delivers a range of services at Worcestershire Royal and KidderminsterHospital sites and a new provider is sought to provide services from the AlexandraHospital in Redditch       

As time ticks by the Leaders are asking for the decision to be called in by the Secretary of State for Health before the UHB walk away as they need to decide where to invest.

Cllr Chris Saint says: “I'm disappointed there appears to be obstacles in our way for the community's preference for the future of the AlexandraHospital and the Minster will hopefully act to enable public preference to be considered seriously.  The patrons of the hospital are important; it's their hospital in their community."

Cllr Bill Hartnett believes that option 1 is being pursued which would lead to increased 'walk-in' demand at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham by Redditch residents who would struggle to travel to Worcester.

He said: “This feels like a farce and I am very frustrated that a year on there seems to have been little efforts to seek a provider from outside the County.  It seems like a done deal and one which is not taking into account the well-being of our residents and those in Bromsgrove and Stratford.  I am pleased we have pushed politics to one side and are presenting a strong united force as we strive to protect our residents and I hope the Secretary recognises our plight and steps in to make sure the right decisions are made."

Council Leader Cllr Roger Hollingworth says that people could still choose to go to Worcester if option 1 is agreed but that residents from Bromsgrove are already attending the QE in Birmingham because it's easier access for them.  He added: “Bureaucracy must not be allowed to come before providing people with the best health services.  The trust that can provide the best services at the Alex must be considered – yet they are not and the CCG is just delaying as turkeys don't vote for Christmas.  The Secretary of State for Health needs to step in and make a decision - it's a bigger issue than Worcestershire deciding to get someone else in to run the services for them. We have come together across two counties and with politics aside are fighting for our residents."

All leaders have offered to travel to London to meet with the Secretary in a bid to secure the future of healthcare services as quickly as possible.