THE Secretary of State for Health Andy Burnham has visited to Rowley Regis Hospital to pour scorn on the local Save the Hospital Campaign.

Flanked by outgoing Halesowen and Rowley Regis MP Sylvia Heal, this election’s candidate Sue Hayman and local Labour councillors Mr Burnham fired a broadside at local Conservative hopeful James Morris.

He said: “This campaign is absolutely outrageous. This hospital is going nowhere and everyone knows it. “These kind of rumours and things beibng made up shows how the Tories are putting politics in front of patients.

“I’ve been going up and down the country putting out fires like this, this hospital is the type of place that will get an expanded role in the future NHS so to say it is going to close is in my opinion totally scurrilous.” The Save Rowley Regis Hospital campaign has become popular with a Facebook page notching up a 1,000 members who are furious at the closure of Eliza Tinsley ward and the prospective closure of McCarthy Ward.

However, despite the Health Secretary did say there were some uncertainties about what services the hospital will provide.

He said: “The GP pilot scheme didn’t work so we will be looking what will replace it, there could be more out patient services, or more walk in services, the building is flexible so it can be adaptable to the needs of the NHS.

“This place is great and Sandwell is renowned in the Department of Health for its innovative approach to integrated health services.”

He added: “Labour, the creators of the NHS, are committed to universal standards across the country and the NHS but the Tories are not. I lose sleep at night thinking what they will do to the NHS that we have built up.”

Labour candidate Sue Hayman added: “The Health Secretary is totally right that the hospital is not closing and I am sure the people of Halesowen and Rowley Regis will see through this campaign.”