text: Queen Elizabeth Hospital feels pressure of Worcestershire downgrade - BBC News
  Queen Elizabeth Hospital feels pressure of Worcestershire downgrade
  https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-37492780
  Image caption The chief executive of a major hospital trust in Birmingham has written a letter expressing concerns about the downgrading of services at the Alexandra Hospital in Redditch
  A Birmingham hospital is under "significant" pressure due to downgraded health services in Worcestershire, a trust boss has said.
  A number of children's services have been temporarily moved from the Alexandra Hospital in Redditch to the Worcestershire Royal.
  But the trust which runs the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham has said it has pushed patients its way.
  Hospital bosses in Worcestershire refute the claims.
  Neonatal and maternity birthing services were transferred to Worcester in November due to staff shortages. Paediatrics inpatient services were transferred earlier this month.
  In a letter to Redditch Borough Council leader Bill Hartnett, the University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Trust (UHB) chief executive Dame Julie Moore said the emergency department at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QE) had seen a six per cent increase in activity over the past three years.
  Consultation on proposals to make the changes to birthing services permanent is expected to begin in November.
  Chris Tidman, chief executive of the Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust, said he believed north Worcestershire residents are better serviced by being a significant part of Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust than a small part of Birmingham.
  "It is disappointing that this letter was sent and we were not informed of these concerns," he said.
  "We are open to meet with the chair and CEO of UHB to understand their concerns about the potential impact on the QEH and to give assurances that our plans seeks to minimise the impact on neighbouring providers."