Stafford hospital is to be taken over and lose key services
- 19 Dec
Mid Staffordshire NHS trust has been found to be financially and clinically unviable with staffing problems by trust special administrators.
Stafford hospital will see its consultant-led obstetric maternity unit replaced by a midwife-led unit and los all of its acute surgical services. Its A&E unit will operate from 8am to 10pm and handling less serious cases only will be made permanent.
Trust special administrators appointed to turn around Mid Staffordshire NHS trust has said that the changes were necessary because it was "financially and clinically unviable" whilst also facing major staffing problems, reports the Guardian.
The TSAs have said that they have listened to pleas from local people to retain a maternity service and services for children through a paediatric assessment unit. Seriously-ill cases, however, will go to other nearby hospitals.
Stafford hospital will be taken over by the University Hospital of North Staffordshire NHS Trust with Cannock hospital becoming part of the Royal Wolverhampton Hospitals NHS Trust in late 2014.
The chairman of the Support Stafford Hospital campaign group has warned that the midwife-led unit would "dwindle away" as too few mothers would use it due to the lack of doctors.
Andy Burnham, the shadow health secretary, has said that the TSA's plans were a kick in the teeth for local campaigners.
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