STAFF at the County Hospital are being urged to take their complaints and concerns to their chief executive David Rose, rather than going to the Hereford Times.

To help them do so he is holding two confidential clinics each week and, by appointment, staff will be able to make their opinions known on a face-to-face basis.

Mr Rose also plans to provide them with his mobile phone number so that they can call him between 8am and 6pm on work days with ideas on how to improve services for the people of Herefordshire.

The chief executive is making the direct approach after being presented with a catalogue of complaints from the Hereford Times based on calls from hospital staff and other people over the past few months.

Mr Rose, who started his new job this month, said he was urging staff to take their worries to him first before finding it necessary to go public.

He is considering the list of concerns passed to him by the Hereford Times and gave an instant response to some of them.

He nailed on the head fears that the accident and emergency department at the County Hospital was to be downgraded to a minor injuries unit.

Nor would that happen to the children's unit at the hospital, although working patterns would be examined to help the hospital comply with regulations about the number of hours worked by doctors.

The ear, nose and throat department was also safe - but staff and patients were being consulted on how specialist treatment for around 100 patients each year could be offered elsewhere.

Mr Rose also promised to investigate a claim that, recently, staff had been forced to borrow surgical instruments from a hospital in Worcester before operations could proceed - and that they were returned in a 'dirty' state because there were not enough people to clean them.

Other concerns reported to the Hereford Times include:

Claims that the ventilation system in some operating theatres is inadequate, humidity levels 'up the creek' resulting in regular staff sickness.

Too many patients admitted to the day case unit, rather than proper wards and insufficient staff to cope.

Pain packages for patients taking too long to prepare.

Some patients being discharged too soon and not enough notice taken of how they get home.

The proposed use of non-professional staff to take patients from surgery back to wards and too many skilled staff leaving the hospital.

Responding, Mr Rose said there were always areas in the hospital that could be improved and it was patients and staff who knew about these best.

"I want hospital staff to raise with me directly and personally any matters they feel are not being resolved quickly enough,'' he said.

As well as the confidential clinics and access to his mobile phone, Mr Rose said each member of Hereford Hospitals Trust board will be spending time in wards and departments and would be asking what they can help to improve.