A TOP health chief has raised fears about the continuing car parking chaos at the new Worcestershire Royal Hospital site.

Mental health boss Dr Ian McPherson said patients were missing vital appointments for mental health services on the Newtown site because of lack of spaces.

His claim follows hospital workers from Kidderminster complaining they could not find parking slots.

Dr McPherson has contacted fire safety officers over concerns the "dreadful" situation could be hazardous if emergency vehicles cannot get onto the site.

The hospital, opened last month, will treat thousands of Wyre Forest patients after the downgrading of Kidderminster Hospital in September 2000, which saw the loss of a blue-light A&E department and inpatient services.

Dr McPherson, Worcestershire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust mental health director, said: "I remain extremely concerned about the lack of parking at the new site.

"We are in discussion with the acute trust about this issue which I think is a major one but whether it is going to be effective remains to be seen.

"The situation is exacerbated by a number of contractors' vehicles."

The problem has been caused by a delay in building new spaces.

Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust was given planning permission to build an extra 300 spaces but work has not started.

A spokeswoman said the spaces would be up and running by the end of June. She pointed the appointments problem must be limited to the mental health services on the site because she was not aware of patients missing appointments at the £95 million hospital.

Wyre Forest MP Dr Richard Taylor said he had received complaints from constituents about parking but no-one had complained about missing appointments as a result.

He added: "The solution is obvious. Return more services back to Kidderminster and then you will have more parking spaces."