HOSPITAL consultant Dr Reg Johnstone told the meeting he did not believe the decision to downgrade Kidderminster Hospital was based on the much-vaunted "medical reasons".
He insisted the decision was based on financial grounds and with more money being pumped into the county health service and 12 new consultant posts on the horizon it could be reversed.
The Health Concern councillor said: "It must be remembered above all that, at the outset, it was Worcestershire Health Authority's £9 million annual recurring debt which precipitated the problem.
"This influenced the Regional Postgraduate Dean's decision on training posts which led him to state that if there were funds for two additional consultant posts at Kidderminster, the hospital would be viable."
He added: "There were not then those funds available. Funding for the NHS, locally and generally, has increased.
"Twelve new consultant posts are proposed across the trust and major works are underway in hospitals soon to be closed.
"The vast majority of consultants were against the downgrading of the hospital and yet the trust chairman and chief executive have the gall to imply that they are bowing to medical opinion when all that consists of is a pair of public health specialists and a dean with no money!"
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