Health workers, along with their supporters, met outside St Philip's Cathedral and marched to Carrs Lane Church centre.

They were joined by members of the Coventry Pensioners' Convention.

Organisers said the march was to raise awareness of job cuts in the health service across the region.

Up to 1,000 hospital jobs are to be lost in Staffordshire, various services are under threat in Worcestershire and 800 posts are to be cut at City Hospital in Birmingham and in Sandwell.

Public awareness

Ann Leedham-Smith, from the Royal College of Nursing, who helped organise the rally, said: "It's to raise awareness about what is happening.

"There was huge support through the centre of Birmingham.

"The campaign is really touching a chord with patients and people that the NHS is being sold off.

"We wanted to raise awareness about what is happening because patient care will be affected," she said.