LEADERS in Redditch and Bromsgrove have joined forces in a bid to raise the profile of the Save The Alex campaign.

Redditch Borough Council Leader Bill Hartnett and Bromsgrove District Leader Roger Hollingworth have written to Health Secretary Dr Dan Poulter MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Health, to ask him to confirm the date for him to visit the hospital for himself.

The minister expressed an interest in visiting the Alex but as the Joint Service Review hasn’t come up with consultation options around the hospital services,  the leaders feel the meeting is now all the more important.

Coun Hartnett said: “We met with the Minister in London last year and he expressed an interest in visiting the Alexandra Hospital.

“I want to get this meeting in the diary, urgently, because it is important we keep these lines of communication open and the issues around saving the Alex and its services in the national eye.

“The longer this drags on with no resolution in sight, I fear for the morale of the staff involved and the impact on residents.”

And Coun Hollingworth added: “This campaign needs to keep momentum otherwise we will lose the sense of urgency that is needed and end up with an ailing provision of healthcare.

“So to pin the minister down to a date in the near future would show our residents and the partners involved that we need to start making some decisions on these high profile issues.”

The letter is also signed by Stratford District Council leader Chris Saint and Save The Alex Chair Neal Stote.