Resignation of two consultants rocks Worcestershire health trust - The Redditch Standard

Resignation of two consultants rocks Worcestershire health trust

Redditch Editorial 29th Apr, 2016 Updated: 18th Oct, 2016   0

THE local health trust has been rocked by the resignation of two consultant physicians.

Dr David Aldulaimi, a consultant gastroenterologist based at the Alexandra Hospital has quit after 12 years with Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust (WAHT) and has followed the hospital’s four A&E consultants who resigned last year by joining Warwick Hospital.

That hospital, part of South Warwickshire NHS Foundation Trust, recently recruited Redditch-based midwives who also left WAHT after it transferred its maternity service to Worcester.

In a second blow to WAHT the Redditch Standard has learnt that Dr Martin Fotherby, an acute stroke physician based at Worcester, has also quit – after less than a year with the Trust.




It is understood he has returned to Leicestershire where he had previously worked.

The news follows leaks that the Trust has been drawing up plans to move all its acute emergency admissions to a single site – at Worcestershire Royal – at the expense of the Alex.


The departure of Dr Aldulaimi comes at a particularly bad time for the Trust which is trying to get plans for its future model of health care passed by the West Midlands Clinical Senate.

Part of that plan envisages 95 per cent of local patients still being seen at the Alex, however with his departure question marks must hang over that figure.

One insider said: “This raises more worries about the future of acute medicine at the Alex.

“Dr Aldulaimi had always been committed to providing a really good service to patients from Redditch and Bromsgrove, and the fact he has resigned is a matter of great concern. He was a key part of the plans for the Alex.

“They may say they are going to replace him but you can’t just pluck another consultant physician off the shelf.”

His departure once again raises questions over the level of commitment to the Alex from Worcester-based physicians, said Neal Stote, chairman of Save the Alex.

“It’s just not normal to keep losing key members of staff in this way and you have to ask to what degree the Alex is being supported by Worcester.

“The only way to secure the future of emergency services in Redditch is for us to join with the University Hospitals Birmingham.”

Chris Tidman interim chief executive of Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust said: “We are naturally disappointed when anybody chooses to move on from our hospitals and wish Dr Aldulaimi all the best in his future career and thank him for his service.

“It is clear that uncertainty around the future of hospital services in Worcestershire has had an impact on staff morale, but the final proposal agreed by our clinicians is now enabling us to move forward with confidence and with the message to patients and staff that 95 per cent what is delivered at the Alexandra Hospital will remain at the Alex.”

[BLOB] Doctors strike – Page 4.

THE local health trust has been rocked by the resignation of two consultant physicians.

Dr David Aldulaimi, a consultant gastroenterologist based at the Alexandra Hospital has quit after 12 years with Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust (WAHT) and has followed the hospital’s four A&E consultants who resigned last year by joining Warwick Hospital.

That hospital, part of South Warwickshire NHS Foundation Trust, recently recruited Redditch-based midwives who also left WAHT after it transferred its maternity service to Worcester.

In a second blow to WAHT the Redditch Standard has learnt that Dr Martin Fotherby, an acute stroke physician based at Worcester, has also quit – after less than a year with the Trust.

It is understood he has returned to Leicestershire where he had previously worked.

The news follows leaks that the Trust has been drawing up plans to move all its acute emergency admissions to a single site – at Worcestershire Royal – at the expense of the Alex.

The departure of Dr Aldulaimi comes at a particularly bad time for the Trust which is trying to get plans for its future model of health care passed by the West Midlands Clinical Senate.

Part of that plan envisages 95 per cent of local patients still being seen at the Alex, however with his departure question marks must hang over that figure.

One insider said: “This raises more worries about the future of acute medicine at the Alex.

“Dr Aldulaimi had always been committed to providing a really good service to patients from Redditch and Bromsgrove, and the fact he has resigned is a matter of great concern. He was a key part of the plans for the Alex.

“They may say they are going to replace him but you can’t just pluck another consultant physician off the shelf.”

His departure once again raises questions over the level of commitment to the Alex from Worcester-based physicians, said Neal Stote, chairman of Save the Alex.

“It’s just not normal to keep losing key members of staff in this way and you have to ask to what degree the Alex is being supported by Worcester.

“The only way to secure the future of emergency services in Redditch is for us to join with the University Hospitals Birmingham.”

Chris Tidman interim chief executive of Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust said: “We are naturally disappointed when anybody chooses to move on from our hospitals and wish Dr Aldulaimi all the best in his future career and thank him for his service.

“It is clear that uncertainty around the future of hospital services in Worcestershire has had an impact on staff morale, but the final proposal agreed by our clinicians is now enabling us to move forward with confidence and with the message to patients and staff that 95 per cent what is delivered at the Alexandra Hospital will remain at the Alex.”

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