THE SHOCK decision by Hereford County Hospital to slash its number of orthopaedic patients by almost half has brought sharp criticism from around the county.

Wellington Parish Council read of the plan in the Hereford Times last week with "dismay, concern and incredulity that our local hospital has reached such a parlous state."

And a former consultant physician, Dr Henry Connor, has called on local people to fight now to secure the future of the County and its full range of services, saying its viability as a district general hospital is under threat: immediate action is needed to protect services.

Local GPs are said to have accepted the position with 'extreme reluctance.'

Chairman of Wellington PC, Barrie Prince, says: "Parishioners now face round trips of up to 100 miles for a routine outpatient appointment since their local hospital will not see them."

The council discussed the situation last Thursday, after it was revealed exclusively in the Hereford Times that GPs in 12 practices had been ordered not to refer orthopaedic patients to the hospital until December.

The trust said there was no point adding to the list when it was unable to meet the target wait of six months.

New orthopaedic patients will be offered consultations, X rays and any necessary surgery and follow-ups at hospitals outside Herefordshire, draining money from the County Hospital.

In a letter to the chief executive of Hereford Hospitals NHS Trust, and copied to the Hereford Times, Mr Prince says: "Never did we think local people would be denied orthopaedic outpatient access." The council asks what is to happen to Leominster Orthopaedic Clinic and also the five-year plan for orthopaedic services in the county, produced in February 2002.

Dr Henry Connor, retired after 25 years, said many Herefordshire people were being denied the right of choosing to be seen and treated in their own local district hospital.

Like smaller hospitals at Kidderminster and Rugby, it faced offering restricted services causing both inconvenience and hardship to patients.

But reducing services in Hereford would affect the much larger population in remote areas of Herefordshire and mid-Wales.

Dr Connor, in a letter to the Hereford Times (published in full on page 28), says people in most rural areas and market towns will take the brunt of the ban. He urges patients to lobby NHS managers and politicians to insist on their rights to be treated in Hereford, and to prevent NHS money leaving the County.

For the GPs, Dr Adrian Eyre, for the Local Medical Committee, said his colleagues were dismayed but thought it the 'least bad' solution.

He blamed Government target times for waiting lists and said Hereford did not have the capacity and the sums did not add up.

They would watch anxiously to see if the orthopaedic lists had been cut by December.

But other doctors, who have been breaking the news to patients, say they are angry especially as, only a few months ago, they were being urged to support the hospital and encourage their patients to choose the County.

Hereford County Hospital has emphasised its decision to limit the number of orthopaedic patients is short-term while plans are made to increase capacity.

Peter Shewell, orthopaedic surgeon and speciality director for orthopaedics, said: "I am sorry we are in this position since the orthopaedic team at the County Hospital wants to treat all local people who choose to come here.

"The steps being taken are a short-term measure to enable the trust to meet the waiting time standards set by the Government.

"We are now working on a plan which, by the end of the year, will increase the size of the orthopaedic service so we can offer a high quality and fast service to even more local people.''