FOLLOWING the Jimmy Saville scandal the organisation running Worcestershire’s three major hospitals has reviewed its procedures protecting patients from abuse.

Although Saville is thought never to have visited any hospitals in the county, Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust – which runs Worcestershire Royal Hospital, Kidderminster Hospital and Redditch’s Alexandra Hospital – has reviewed and updated a number of its safeguarding policies.

In October 2012, a year after his death, accusations were levelled that the television presenter had sexually abused children as far back as the 1970s. Hundreds of accusations of rape and sexual abuse have now been made against the Top of the Pops presenter, several of which are believed to have taken place in hospitals and care homes.

Trust chairman Harry Turner said the organisation's procedures around letting visitors into the hospitals were extremely strict.

"Our staff are very good at checking IDs," he said. "If someone challenges me and then apologises when they realise who I am I always say ‘don’t apologise’.

"We are listening to all the national messages,

"But it is difficult because if you had CRB checked Jimmy Saville he would have passed."