Last week the economy measures planned by the Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust were announced and I am relieved that there is at least some good news for us. 

It is recognised that our Treatment Centre at Kidderminster Hospital must be fully used which will mean an increase in day surgery and short stay inpatient surgery will take place. 
This is in addition to the inpatient orthopaedic surgery being carried out in the independent part of the Treatment Centre. 

Our loss will be of the paediatric day surgery sessions which are not fully used and by moving these to Worcester will release more space for increasing other surgical procedures.

As a result of changing requirements for the number of births considered to be necessary to maintain provision of a midwife led birth centre rather than as a result of the economies sadly we will not see the re-opening of our birth centre although the possibility of a birth centre for the north of the County remains.

I have met with the doctor in charge of the out of hours GP service and requested that in conjunction with the Primary Care Trust in the near future up-to-date directions for accessing the out of hours service and the limited emergency services that we have are published widely to avoid the confusion that has been reported to me frequently.

As I sit in my office, I am looking at the colourful, articulated model of a schoolteacher presented to me by the children at St. John's C.E. First School. 
This is to remind me how concerned they are, with so many other children, about the lack of teachers for the millions of children in the less fortunate communities in the world. They are going to continue the pressure on adults here and attempt to involve children in other countries to pressurize politicians to try to make the G8 promises about financial help for deprived countries really happen.

In true British fashion, large numbers turned up for the West Midland Safari Park Symphony and Sinatra event last Saturday despite the surprisingly cold and wet weather. However the re-created Frank Sinatra (Dave Dean) and the Wyre Forest Symphony Orchestra's varied and exciting programme kept the huge audience in the natural amphitheatre enthralled until the termination of the event with dramatic fireworks. The Safari Park management and staff are to be sincerely thanked for all the hard work involved in staging this huge event in aid of local health and hospital services.

I attended the opening of the lovely gardens of Stourport Wesley Methodist Church. This will be a haven of peace and tranquility within a stone's throw of the main street always open to everyone. It is a step of faith that people will value this unique area and use it and cherish it.

RT