SOME GPs are being "bullied" into keeping patients away from the acute hospitals in the county, claims the vice-chairman of the Worcestershire Local Medical Committee.

Dr Martin Ounsted, who is also a GP practising in Evesham, says standards of care in the county have continued to fall since the opening of the new hospital.

Dr Ounsted feels that the South Worcestershire Primary Care Trust and Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust are sending out conflicting messages about admissions.

"One trust or the other is making a statement which is untrue," he said. "It's an unworkable situation.

"As predicted by Worcestershire Local Medical Committee, the hospital isn't big enough.

"We've had the Acute Trust unwilling to accept very ill patients diagnosed by responsible physicians as being in need of acute care. They won't even view them to give an opinion."

He said GPs were being asked to make judgements against the patients' best interests.

Dr Ounsted said they were being advised to send patients to overburdened community hospitals where they might not have the skills to deal with the illness.

Absolute madness

"This is absolute madness," he said. "Community hospitals are low-tech and acute hospitals are hi-tech.

"They are suggesting that they offer the same services. They are making it harder for GPs, not easier."

Dr Ounsted said he was reluctant to speak to the media about the problems GPs faced, but said he never received replies to the letters he wrote to the chief executive of the Acute Trust, Ruth Harrison.

"We are in a very serious position," he added. "We used to have winter pressures, but now we have contingency plans all year round.

"They cut off the flesh, then the bone, and they're now down to the marrow."

Acute Trust spokesman Richard Haynes denied that GPs were bullied into finding an alternative to sending a patient to the acute hospitals.

"Everyone in the healthcare system has a role to play in easing the pressures at this difficult time," he said.

"We have a well established procedure that has been agreed with the PCTs. GPs are health professionals who appreciate the pressure the health system is under.

"We don't turn people away if they need urgent hospital treatment."

Nobody from South Worcestershire Primary Care Trust was available for comment at the time the Evening News went to press.