A FORMER health campaigner has spoken out after a partial diversion of A&E cases from Worcestershire Royal to the Alexandra Hospital in Redditch was instigated by health chiefs at WAHT.
Neal Stote, once chairman of the now disbanded Save the Alex campaign, hit out as waiting times at Worcestershire Royal hit 170 minutes with 59 patients in its emergency department (12.59pm, Monday, January 23).
Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust (WAHT) took the decision to divert cases to the Alex to relieve pressure on WRH.
Meanwhile at Kidderminster Hospital waiting times hit 153 minutes.
A Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust spokesperson said: “We continue to experience pressure at Worcestershire Royal A&E and as part of our normal management in such situations we have a partial divert to the A&E department at the Alexandra Hospital.
“This is a clear indication of how important the A&E department at the Alex is for the future health plans of Worcestershire.”
Mr Stote said: “I am genuinely disappointed that once again everything that people talked about – namely the overheating the the Worcestershire Royal site – is coming true.
“Part of the reason I gave up was that no one was listening and yet it’s happening now, and to have it happen during the middle of the acute trust’s consultation, when they are looking to get more services down there, is very disappointing, and this is going to happen again and again.”
Mr Stote also questioned the condition of patients being transferred from Worcestershire Royal to the Alex, pointing out that few – or their relatives – would appreciate being transferred to the north of the county if they or their loved ones lived in the south.
