FED-up Wyre Forest Labour members have resigned from cross-party health groups in protest at changes being implemented to Worcestershire NHS services.

Stephen Brown, who chaired Kidderminster Hospital Alliance (KHA), said his party’s views were incompatible with the Conservatives and they were not prepared to stand alongside them any longer.

Mr Brown also sat on the consultative Patient, Public and Stakeholder Advisory Group (PPSAG) before it was disbanded following the end of the Future of Acute Hospital Services in Worcestershire programme.

But he claimed their views had not been taken into account during the process before the final changes were approved.

Last week, the three county clinical commissioning groups gave the green light to a model for reorganising Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trusts which included moving all hospital births to Worcester Royal and more day case and short stay surgery moved to Kidderminster Hospital.

Board members said the new model was the best possible outcome for patients and staff and would ensure better care.

But Mr Brown said: “Labour has pulled out of KHA because Tory policy on NHS is incompatible with us working with them any longer.

“Our view is that the changes have only become necessary due to vast underfunding in the NHS.

“That in itself is irreconcilable with our continued support of KHA given the Tories sit on it too and sadly their actions in Government are the core reason for the problems Worcestershire faces.

“We cannot stand alongside the likes of Wyre Forest MP Mark Garnier and pretend everything is ok, even if Kidderminster Hospital gets some small additional services, as welcome as they are.

“I also resigned from the talking PPSAG shop labelled a consultation, because it was anything but. I feel our views have not really mattered for some considerable time.”

A spokesman for the Future of Acute Hospital Services in Worcestershire Programme said: “The PPSAG was stood down as the programme came to an end when the governing bodies made their final decisions.

“The PPSAG was made up of elected councillors, community groups, lay members of the acute trust and CCGs. It played an invaluable role in making sure the voice of the patient and the public was considered throughout the Future of Acute Hospital Services in Worcestershire process.”