29 January 2007

Mr J Rostill
Chief Executive
Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust
Sky Level
Worcestershire Royal Hospital
Charles Hastings Way
Worcester
WR5 1DD

Dear Mr Rostill

I enclose two documents. The first comprises written comments from members of the public at the 'Light a Candle for the Alex' day on 30 September 2006. The second is a discussion document based on those comments setting out alternative proposals to the draft proposals presented to the Acute Trust Board on 6 July 2006 (those are the last proposals from the Acute Trust we have been made aware of).

Our own paper has been agreed by the Bromsgrove and Redditch Church of England Clergy and by the Save the Alex Action Group.

Both of the enclosed papers have been sent to the Director of Commissioning in the West Midlands Strategic Health Authority.

Both of the papers were part of a recent discussion between Mr Paul Bates, Chief Executive of the Worcestershire PCT, the clergy working group on health services and representatives of the Save the Alex Action Group. Mr Bates suggested that we forward the two documents to you.

As you will see we recommend that emergency services, including maternity and paediatrics should be kept locally. We set out our reasons for this; but we accept that there are good arguments for consolidating elective surgery and non-emergency medicin into centres of excellence.

We shall appreciate receiving the evidence leading to your final proposals.

Yours sincerely

Barry Jones.

pp The Bromsgrove and Redditch Church of England Clergy Health Services Working Group.
Save the Alex Action Group.

cc Mr Michael O'Riordan, Chairman.
Mr Clive Walsh, Director of Operations.