HEALTH Secretary Jeremy Hunt is visiting the Alexandra Hospital in Redditch this afternoon for what has been described as a ‘private visit’.
The trip had been discussed with local MP Karen Lumley who, because of her current illness, is unable to accompany him.
A spokesperson for Mrs Lumley’s office said: “This is a private visit by Mr Hunt to meet with staff and managers.
“Under normal circumstances Karen would have accompanied him but due to her illness, which has kept her from all meetings and constituency work, she has been unable to do so.”
The spokesperson added that the visit had been arranged at the last minute due to security concerns.
The Alex is part of Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust, which has hit the headlines for all the wrong reasons in the last few months.
Over the Christmas period Worcestershire Royal figured in the national news when two patients died on trolleys in the hospital and a third committed suicide.
The Care Quality Commission, which has put the trust in special measures, then followed this up by issuing it with a tough Section 29A warning to either improve by March 10 or risk being taken over by another, better performing trust.
The trust is also facing a £35million deficit this financial year and its interim chief executive Rob Cooper, standing in for the yet to arrive Michelle McKay, himself resigned to go to another job in the north of England.
However chairman Caragh Merrick is committed to turning the trust around and Mr Hunt’s visit is sure to be part of her efforts to do just that.
After the issuing of the Section 29A notice staff have also committed themselves to this task and Ms Merrick has publicly spoken of her confidence that the trust can meet the CQC’s March 10 deadline and move from special measures to outstanding.
