A MAJOR political row has erupted over the future of Rowley Regis Hospital after key inpatient services were withdrawn.

The Eliza Tinsley Ward has been closed and services at McCarthy Ward could also be axed.

The prospective Conservative candidate for Halesowen and Rowley Regis, James Morris, has set up the Save Rowley Regis Hospital campaign and has blamed the move on Government cost cutting.

However, sitting MP Sylvia Heal has called the campaign ‘shameless politicking’ and ‘disingenuous’ whilst Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals Trust have released a statement saying there are no plans to close the hospital.

Mr Morris said: “The announcement of these proposed closures came completely out of the blue.

“The proposed closure of the McCarthy Ward is particularly worrying as it is quite obviously the result of government cost-cutting.

“The announcement throws the future of a much loved local community hospital into doubt.

“I am very concerned this is yet another example of services being moved away from local community hospitals to centralised ‘mega-hospitals’ in order to cut costs. “Although the NHS Trust say that they have no plans to close the hospital, if Rowley Regis continues to be downgraded, then its future looks very bleak.” The Tory candidate has already set up the www.saverowleyhospital.com website to help his campaign. However, Halesowen’s Labour MP Mrs Heal has slammed the campaign. She said: “Rowley Regis Hospital is not closing and it has already been established that new services will be moving to the hospital site, therefore the “Save Rowley Hospital Campaign” that Conservative Parliamentary Candidate James Morris has launched is completely disingenuous and shameful politicking. “It is a matter of public fact that there are plans to move services to Rowley Regis Hospital and therefore this blatant scaremongering is wrong. “I am very surprised that James Morris would go to such a low level to score cheap political points and attempt to claim credit for services that are already in the pipeline.” The Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Hospitals Trust released a statement concerning the removal of services. It said: “The Eliza Tinsley Ward at Rowley Regis Community Hospital has closed. “It was being run by GPs as a pilot project in partnership with Sandwell Primary Care Trust. “It was necessary to close the ward because it has not been possible to provide continuing GP medical cover and we continue to investigate the availability of suitable medical cover. “The Trust’s current plans are for the 24 inpatient beds on McCarthy Ward to be moved to Sandwell Hospital, where the rehabilitation unit will have an elderly care consultant on-site. “However it has been decided that this move will not take place until plans for the development of new intermediate care facilities on site have been reviewed and appropriate local consultation has occurred. “Rowley Regis Hospital is not closing and it remains a key part of the long term configuration of health facilities.”