A WORCESTER GP says the admission problems at the new hospital show that it is not big enough to cope with demand.

Dr Jonathan Pratley, of the Spring Gardens Group Medical Practice, described the situation as "disappointing" and said it put extra pressure on GPs.

GPs are being urged to find alternative ways of managing patients in the community when Worcestershire Royal is on red alert, with admissions through the Medical Admissions Unit being suspended.

But Dr Pratley said GPs already made every effort possible to avoid sending patients to hospital.

"It puts more pressure on us," he said. "Whenever we make a decision to send someone to hospital, it's a serious decision, whether there are beds or not.

"Patients don't want to go to hospital, and we don't like to send them in. We wouldn't do it if there was an alternative, even if there were 100 spare beds."

He said it took up more of their time, at a time of the year when they were already very busy, when they had to go through every possible way of avoiding a hospital admission.

He also said the alternatives were often blocked at busy times as well, with few beds in community hospitals being free.

"It's very disappointing," said Dr Pratley. "After all the promises that we've had about the size of the hospital, it clearly isn't big enough.

"We were assured that there wouldn't be a problem, but it's a recurring problem."

He said there used to be problems with the old hospital as well, but it tended to be when there was a flu epidemic or a similar crisis.

"It's happening more frequently with the new hospital," said Dr Pratley. "If we have red alerts at the moment, it will be much worse if we do have a 'flu epidemic."