20,000 signature petition to be handed to Downing Street to save Stafford Hospital

Stafford Hospital campaigners are taking a 20,000 signature petition to Downing Street demanding that services are restored at the hospital Credit: ITV Central

Stafford Hospital campaigners are taking a 20,000 signature petition to Downing Street today demanding that services are restored at the hospital.This follows a recent decision to extend the closure of the A&E department overnight. Local people fear that this is the first step in a programme to completely downgrade the hospital and even force its closure.

An open letter to Prime Minister David Cameron will ask him to support their campaign to keep the hospital open. The campaigners say that patients of the hospital were told in November 2011 that the night closure of A&E was temporary but that the Clinical Commissioning Group, with no consultation have decided to downgrade from to an urgent and emergency care centre.

The campaigners say that patients of the hospital were told in November 2011 that the night closure of A&E was temporary Credit: ITV Central

The delegation will include Diane Smith of Stafford Labour Party, Cheryl Porter of thee Support Stafford Hospital Group, Councillor Janos Toth, Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for Cannock Chase and Councillor Anne Hobbs.