CRITICISM over car parking at Worcester's new hospital has prompted the setting up of a new working group to tackle the problem.

Solutions being looked at by the group which includes representatives from Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust and the county council, include encouraging more staff to walk and cycle to work.

Other options include the setting up of a joint car-share database and holding talks with bus operators to see if they would put on special buses operating from areas where many staff live.

Stephen Onions, patient services manager at the hospital, said: "I'm really pleased we are working together. It's important to us all as large employers to be good neighbours to those residents who live nearby.

"Equally, we want to provide our staff with a choice in how they get there."

Car parking at the hospital, which opened in March, has hit the headlines in the last month following complaints by hospital staff they could not find spaces.

Two weeks ago, mental health boss Dr Ian McPherson said patients were missing vital appointments for mental health services due to a lack of spaces.

A new Government-funded cross-city bus service which will stop at the hospital site is due to take to the road in October.