TROUBLED NHS staff aired their problems in the streets of Hereford at the weekend.

Now they want MP Paul Keetch to do the same in the House of Commons.

He has promised to raise questions about building new hospitals with private money, and the downgrading and transfer of NHS staff in Herefordshire hospitals at the next round of Prime Minister's question time.

Well over 300 people, two-thirds of them health workers, marched into High Town on Saturday at a rally instigated by UNISON and organised by Herefordshire Trades Council.

President Sylvia Daniels described it as an excellent exercise, conducted with dignity. There was no aggression, people just stated the facts clearly, she said.

Several unions became involved in the rally and many members of the public stopped to listen as speakers told about discontent among nursing staff in particular over the way they were being treated by 'NHS bosses'

There was much concern too about the way nurses at Kington and Ledbury would have to work for private employers to keep their jobs at new hospitals in the town, losing their NHS status.

Doctors and consultants from Hereford hospitals gave their support and the speakers included Mr Keetch, Steve Watson branch secretary of the RCN, Paul Vaughan, UNISON regional head of health and Steven Weeks, a UNISON national officer.

Mrs Daniels told The Hereford Times this week there were still many concerns involving staff to deal with.

She and regional officers were talking to staff in Kington and a meeting was taking place with the management today, (Thursday), to discuss the future of nursing auxiliaries in Hereford's new hospital.

Mrs Daniels claimed that 21 of the jobs were at risk. She also said nurses were quitting their jobs in Hereford and there was concern there would not be enough left to staff the new hospital when it opened.

The future for administration and clerical staff was also uncertain with decisions about their jobs being taken in November.

Mrs Daniels said the situation in Herefordshire would be considered at regional level before it was decided whether to take any further action, locally.