CALLS have been made for hospital bosses to quit following the publication of the real reasons why the Alexandra Hospital’s entire A&E consultant team resigned.
Rebecca Blake, Labour’s candidate for the Redditch seat at the next General Election, said the resignation letter released by Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust made ‘grim reading’ and it was clear change at the top was now needed.
“There will be people going into the Alex for planned and emergency care, now knowing that experience consultants at the Alex are raising patient safety as a concern. I do not want people who are ill stressing about how safe the Alex is.
“I echo the words of the consultants that there must be wholesale change in management.
“Local people need safe services at the Alex. I urge the overseeing body to take charge immediately and to appoint a new board.”
Save the Alex campaigners have already held a show of no confidence in the Trust’s management at a board meeting last month.
It followed their visit to Westminster to meet with Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt and David Flory, head of the Trust Development Authority, to urge them to act on emerging safety concerns and the viability of the Trust financially.
Both refused to intervene saying it was up to commissioners and NHS England.
Neal Stote, chair of Save the Alex campaign, said: “Given today’s event it clearly shows we were right to have concerns with the management and as a minimum the TDA need to put in a turnaround team or appoint a new board.”
Redditch MP Karen Lumley stopped short of calling for the removal of the Trust’s management but did say all options for the future of the Alex should be explored.
“As ever I am committed to ensuring the people of Redditch can continue to be treated at the hospital in our town and staff can work in a hospital they have confidence in.”
Bill Hartnett, leader of Redditch Borough Council said the letter painted a flawed picture of the Alex.
“There are lots of disturbing matters in the letter which need to be addressed.”
