Eye hospital staff stage walkout

Staff and campaigners protest about the proposed closure

Staff at the Wolverhampton Eye Infirmary have walked out over plans to close it next year - despite claims it could remain for five years.

The move is part of a cost-cutting scheme at New Cross Hospital which is £12m in deficit.

Managers say they have no choice but to shut the existing building as it is riddled with asbestos and they cannot guarantee the safety of patients.

But staff are angry at the plans and held a protest on Wednesday lunchtime.

Service 'decimated'

David Loughton, chief executive of Royal Wolverhampton Hospitals NHS Trust, denied any five-year undertaking had been given.

He said: "There is no question the eye infirmary could stay where it is for another five years because of problems delivering an anaesthetic service on what is an isolated site with no intensive care facilities there."

Campaigners claim to have 6,000 signatures in a bid to keep the site open, and stop services transferring to New Cross.

Wolverhampton councillor Malcolm Gwinnett said closing the infirmary was the wrong move.

He said: "It is a world-renowned service they (the infirmary) give and that is going to be decimated."