THE head of the organisation running Worcestershire’s three major hospitals has hit out at ‘trolls’ who attacked him online and posted a “vile” letter through the door of his house.

Earlier this month chairman of Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust Harry Turner was caught up in an online row after the organisation announced emergency gynaecology services would remain centralised at Worcestershire Royal Hospital for at least six months.

Although the trust had previously said the centralisation would only last a week, it was later extended over fears there were not enough doctors to cover both the Royal and the Alexandra Hospital in Redditch.

After the announcement was made Mr Turner received a barrage of abuse over Twitter, with many pointing out Redditch MP Karen Lumley said she had been specifically told the centralisation would last only a week.

“When we pulled out gynaecology we thought it would only be a week,” he said. “I did briefings with MPs about this.

“Then I went on holiday and other things emerged.

“When I got home someone had shoved a letter through my door which was really vile.”

This came just days after chaplain at the Royal David Southall was criticised for comparing a trip to hospital to driving to Ikea.

Mr Turner, who has since deleted his Twitter account after posting a message hitting out at online “abuse”, said he had reported the letter to police.

“I don’t want to take the abuse online, but I will,” he said. “But when they come and knock on my door it’s a different matter.

“I’ve got no idea who it was and I’m not pointing fingers.

“But I live out in the sticks so whoever it was has got to have taken the trouble to come and find me.”

This came at a turbulent time for the trust, with a report into alleged bullying and harassment by management published on Thursday, August 27. Although the report by the Good Governance Institute found “insufficient evidence to conclude that bullying and harassment is endemic at the trust”, it also branded the organisation’s anti-bullying policy as “not fit for purpose”.

Mr Turner said: “It’s really ironic that this is the week when we’re holding open our books on harassment.

“It’s a shame really.

“I’m thinking about re-opening my Twitter and just saying I won’t stand for anything.

“I miss the news coming through and stuff like that.”

Speaking on Friday, August 28 a police spokesman said no arrests or charges had been made in connection with Mr Turner’s report.

Anyone with any information which could help can contact police on 101 quoting incident 167-s-210815.

Information can also be reported anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or via crimestoppers-uk.org.