HEALTH leaders from across the West Midlands are to be given a say into an extensive plans to overhaul the three major hospitals in Worcestershire.

The recommendations of an independent panel into the future of Redditch’s Alexandra Hospital, Worcestershire Royal Hospital and Kidderminster Hospital were presented earlier this year, making a number of recommendations for overhauling the three facilities.

Among the recommendations were to centralise emergency care in Worcester and to create a midwife-led maternity unit in Redditch.

Although the majority of those who will be affected by the plans are in Worcestershire, experts have said people in Herefordshire, Warwickshire, Birmingham and Solihull could also be impacted.

As a result, at a meeting of the Worcestershire Health Overview and Scrutiny Board (HOSC) on Tuesday, June 17 heard a joint scrutiny board will be formed with members from all five authorities once the public consultation into the plans is launched late this year.

As the plans mostly impact Worcestershire, chairman of the county’s HOSC Councillor Andrew Roberts will chair the group.