HOSPITAL bosses have hit back at accusations that patients are being disrespected and treated like “animals”.

The Advertiser reported last week that Stewart Messer, chief operating officer at Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust, was criticised after referring to the use of “safari rounds” to help keep hospital capacity under control.

Mr Messer’s comments came at the trust’s latest board meeting as he explained some of the measures taking place to ensure patients are discharged in a timely and efficient manner and reduce the ongoing strains on bed space.

But they have drawn an angry response from members of the Save The Alex campaign group, which is fighting to retain as many services as possible at Redditch’s Alexandra Hospital ahead of an upcoming service reconfiguration.

Campaign member Ian Johnson said he was shocked to read Mr Messer’s comments while Neal Stote, chairman, said: “The language used is totally unacceptable and shows a total disregard for people when they are at their most vulnerable".

However the acute trust has hit back at the criticism, saying safari rounds have been nationally recognised in the NHS for many years.

A spokesman said: “The definition of safari is ‘an expedition’ which reflects the rounds our doctors sometimes have to make when we have large numbers of patients spread out across the wards of the hospital.

“We are very disappointed as a trust that people who were not at the board meeting have seized upon this comment.

“They have sought to quote this out of context and infer that the care provided to our patients is not of the standard that the people of Worcestershire should expect and demand.”