A MALVERN doctor says he was appalled by a fax from the area's director of public health saying there was no room for admissions at Worcestershire Royal Hospital.

Tuesday's (October 29) warning from Dr Tim Davies telling GPs not to send patients to the newly-built hospital has incensed doctors who say they are not even in the busy winter season.

"This is very frustrating for GPs and more so for patients because how many know how to find Gloucester Hospital?" said Dr Adrian McCracken, from The Avenue Road Surgery.

"I think we should continue to send people to Worcester, they were warned continuously that there were not enough beds before they went ahead and built it anyway.

"The frightening thing is that we're not even in the flu season. This is just the pleasant autumn. It's very worrying."

Dr Mark Hinchcliffe, of St Saviours Surgery on Merick Road, said he was concerned that if the hospital was full GPs needed to be informed of alternatives.

"We're not even at a busy time of year," he said. "If we're full now what are we going to do in the busy season in January and February?"

Dr James Mather, of Court Road Surgery, said although the surgery had not had any problems this time with patients needing to be admitted, they had experienced them throughout the year. "On the shop floor, we're having problems admitting patients all year round," he said.

He added that we have not had a flu epidemic for seven years, and warned that there could be "real problems" should one strike this year.

Janet Marie Clark, of Worc-estershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust, confirmed there had been a six-hour "respite" period on Tuesday (October 29).

"We requested GPs use capacity elsewhere in the county rather than sending patients to the Medical Assessment Unit, as it was extremely busy during that period," she said.

"The hospital did not close at any point and the Accident and Emergency Department remained open and continued to receive patients from '999' calls as normal."

She added that specific plans to meet demand for emergency services during winter "include using current capacity in the hospitals and the community and increasing capacity when required".