SHADOW health secretary Andy Burnham visited Redditch on Tuesday, May 5, and met with Save the Alex chairman Neal Stote in Winyates.
During the meeting recent capacity problems at Worcester Royal were discussed as well as the future of services at the Alexandra Hospital in Redditch.
Speaking afterf the meeting Mr Burnham said: “The current situation in Worcestershire is clearly unsustainable and we need to look at health services for the entire county,” he said.
“Clearly the county is under huge pressure and any solution has to involve all the health parties of the NHS in the county.
“The commitment I have made is that if we are elected, within weeks we will hold a health summit around Worcestershire.
“We have to have a short-term plan to bring stability to both hospitals, and long term it is clear that health services cannot continue carrying on this path in Worcestershire and we will look to hold a much wider review of acute services to find a solution.”
Acute services have been under review in Worcestershire for the past three years and on Saturday over 1,000 people, including all the political candidates for the Redditch parliamentary seat, took to the streets at a protest rally organised by Save The Alex Campaign.
Following the meeting Mr Stote said: “We have met with both Conservative health ministers and Labour shadow health ministers and made clear to them the concerns held by the 200,000 people that the Alex serves.
“I welcome these two commitments. The current review, despite running for three years has always just focused on what Worcestershire can provide. I believe a wider review is the only way to ensure all options get looked at.
“All candidates and parties have made pledges about the Alex and the wider NHS. I and Save the Alex will hold to account whoever is elected on May 7.”
