A TOP Tory dropped in at Worcester at the invitation of Wyre Forest Conservatives to view the county's new £95 million hospital.

Dr Liam Fox, Shadow Secretary of State for Health, was the first shadow cabinet member to tour the state-of-the-art facilities which have hit the headlines because of varied problems in recent weeks.

These include patients complaining about waiting times, the alleged inability of the hospital to cope with demand and the lack of car parking spaces.

Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust has strongly rebutted criticism, although it has admitted a "few teething problems".

Conservative spokesman Mark Simpson, the former parliamentary candidate, said Dr Fox was visiting the constituency a year on from his previous call to get an update on health services.

But he said Dr Fox, who attended a meeting of Wyre Forest Conservatives at Kidderminster Golf Club, also indicated some of the new thinking by the party on national policy.

Mr Simpson added: "Just as we are undertaking a review of health policy nationally, so local Conservatives are considering how best to represent local people's interests not only on health but on other matters.

"We firmly support local health services for people."

But he said 12 months on from the election of Wyre Forest's Health Concern MP Dr Richard Taylor the return of Kidderminster's accident and emergency services had still not materialised.