BROMSGROVE MP Sajid Javid has called on the Care Quality Commission's Chief Inspector to give a straight answer on the state of Redditch's Alexandra Hospital as part of his assessment of Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust.

Sajid Javid, who instigated the recent meeting of civic leaders from Bromsgrove, Redditch and Stratford-on-Avon with the Health Secretary, Jeremy Hunt, has urged the Chief Inspector to highlight how the hospital, which serves the people of Bromsgrove, should move forwards, in terms of patient safety.

The MP emphasised in a letter to the Chief Inspector, Professor Sir Mike Richards, that: "This report is immensely important to my constituents’ trust in their local hospital. It is essential that they are left in no doubt as to the safety of services at the Alexandra Hospital.

“I must therefore urge that the CQC provide a definitive conclusion, from which all necessary steps can then be taken to secure this essential public service”.

The report follows a series of announced and unannounced visits to Worcestershire services by the independent CQC, as part of a national programme of hospital inspections.

Commenting on the situation exclusively to the Advertiser, Mr Javid said: “I stand by my constituents in wanting answers and assurance about our local hospital.

"In my meeting with him, the Secretary of State for Health made clear that this CQC report will form the basis of any further action to set a plan for the Alex – which in my view has been an unacceptably slow process.

"Whether it’s good or bad, we simply need a straight answer from which we can move forwards. This is paramount to the safety and trust of patients”.

In his letter to Prof Richards, Mr Javid wrote about the "concern, frustration and confusion" felt by his constituents about the future for hospital services.

He wrote: "Following a lng process of deliberation over the future of service provision at the Alexandra Hospital, the recent decision to relocate maternity, gynaecology and obstetrics services, and intermittent revelations of hospital staff whistle-blowing, my constituents have been left with an understandably high level of concern, frustration and confusion about the future of their hospital."