UNCERTAINTY around the future of hospital services in Worcestershire is responsible for the shock resignation of five of the county’s emergency consultants, it has been claimed.

It was announced on Friday evening that four consultants working at the A&E at Redditch’s Alexandra Hospital and one from the emergency department at Worcestershire Royal Hospital had handed in their notice.

Although the reasons they have decided to leave are unclear, some have suggested the consultants – four of whom have been confirmed to have been offered roles at Warwick Hospital – have left as a result of delays to the long-running review of hospital services in the county, which has been running since June 2012.

Worcester MP Robin Walker said he was due to go to the Royal on Thursday, February 19 to meet staff and the trust.

“Clearly it’s a matter of concern,” he said.

“We need to make sure everything is being done to support those working at A&E, which is still under pressure.

“In Worcester we are only talking about one consultant out of, I believe, a team of five and a half full time staff.

“It’s a much smaller impact than in Redditch, where clearly it’s another matter.”

Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust – which runs the two hospitals as well as Kidderminster Hospital – recently announced it expected to end this year with a £27.6 million deficit – almost three times its original prediction.

Chairman of campaign group Save the Alex Neal Stote said this was a “situation entirely of their (the trust’s) own making”.

"The situation is now so serious the government cannot wash their hands of this any longer,” he said.

"The trust is failing financially, it's failing its staff and it's time for a trust with a proven track record to take over.”

He said he and his fellow campaigners believed the best option was to allow University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust – which runs the Queen Elizabeth Hospital – to take over the county’s hospitals.

Emergency consultants are required to give at least three months notice but a national shortage of staff means the trust could find it difficult to recruit replacements.

A spokesman from Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust said there had been “significant” engagement with clinical staff during the development of the reconfiguration plans, which was believed to still be sustainable despite a national staffing shortage.

“The ongoing delays in moving forward have been a source of frustration for all parties and there was a recognised risk that staff could leave for other posts in the event of continued uncertainty,” he said.

“The trust will now focus on its recruitment plans to replace the departing staff once they have served their notice.

“In the meantime, services will continue as normal whilst plans are put in place to manage a safe transition.”