A UNANIMOUS decision was made by Wycombe district councillors to call for the county's top health chiefs to come and talk to them on how they intend to improve hospital services.

All Wycombe District councillors were in agreement with a proposal put forward by Cllr Tony Green at a full council meeting on Monday to invite Andrew Kirk, medical director of Buckinghamshire Hospitals' NHS Trust, and the chief executive Ruth Harrison, to explain to the council just how they intend to ensure the safety of residents.

Cllr Green said: "They have a duty to us and the residents at the moment it's not being done to any satisfaction."

His call comes in the wake of a letter sent last month by anaesthetists at Wycombe Hospital to Mr Kirk, in which they claimed that the quality of care has deteriorated since changes to hospital services were introduced this summer.

The majority of patients needing major trauma surgery are now treated at Stoke Mandeville hospital, near Aylesbury, while Wycombe Hospital has become a centre specialising in planned operations.

Cllr Green said: "The council understands that a letter was recently sent by consultant anaesthetists at Wycombe Hospital raising serious concerns over the standards of care at the hospital since the implementation of changes as part of the Shaping Health Services programme.

"With responsibilities for the well-being of residents of Wycombe district, the council agrees to write to the chairman of Buckinghamshire Hospitals' NHS Trust requesting an urgent response to the consultants' concerns and details of the actions that will be taken to ensure the safety and improve the services provided to residents of the Wycombe district."

All the other councillors at the full council meeting were in agreement.

Cllr Jean Teesdale, vice chairman of the council, said: "I feel very vulnerable at the moment.

"We cannot ignore what the professionals are telling us. The fact of the matter is the trust is going to have to come clean and give us their side of it.

"Let them tell us where they have improved services. We are not seeing that at the moment. We owe it to the people of High Wycombe to make sure that we are getting the best service for this town.

"My fear is that Wycombe Hospital will end up a cottage hospital. That does worry me."

A spokesman for the Trust said the NHS Trust would comply with the council's request.

He said: "A meeting will be arranged."