Above: Protesters campaign over the closure of the Alexandra Hospital's maternity unit in November 2015.

A shortage of specialist doctors means seriously-ill children will no longer be treated at the Alexandra Hospital in Redditch.

Bosses have closed the children’s ward for admissions and medics working there will move to Worcestershire Royal Hospital in Worcester.

However, youngsters who are not seriously ill, who do come to the Alexandra Hospital site, will continue to be seen and treated there.

The closure applies to those who need an inpatient bed.

Neal Stote, chairman of the Save the Alex campaign , told the Redditch & Alcester Advertiser: “This will cause real hardship to those families affected, even if it is small numbers.

Neal Stote Chair of Save The Alexandra Hospital Campaign.

“Our real concern is there just hasn’t been enough communication about what parents with sick children do from now on and that could lead to a disaster - hopefully we’re wrong about that but it’s a genuine concern.

“We’re still not convinced the Worcestershire Royal will cope.

"If you haven’t got enough staff then you haven’t got enough staff.

"Working them to death in a larger unit will just put more pressure on an already stretched resource.

“For all the trust’s talk about the new services and investment in the Alex, the reality is Redditch and the north of Worcestershire has a younger population than the south and so needs key services like maternity and paediatrics in an accessible location which they are being deprived of.

“It beggars belief that since our MP said our hospital has been saved in May 2015 we have lost these two key services, maternity and now 24 hours paediatrics.”

The Alexandra Hospital
The Alexandra Hospital

Dr Andrew Short, the trust’s Interim chief medical officer and senior consultant paediatrician said: “This is not a decision we have taken lightly and we recognise that this will for some be a cause of concern.

"Safety is our top priority and I would like to reassure the public that we are making these temporary changes so that we can ensure the highest levels of care for children.”

Dr Richard Davies, speaking on behalf of Worcestershire’s three Clinical Commissioning Groups, said: “We have known for some time that the paediatric service has been fragile at Alexandra Hospital but we had hoped the trust could keep it going until the public consultation on the acute services review had taken place.

Campaigners previously opposed the loss of maternity services at the Alex.
Campaigners previously opposed the loss of maternity services at the Alex.

“However, this is no longer possible.

"We have a responsibility to commission safe and secure services and the shortage of staff means it would be unsafe to continue with the current arrangements.”