Stafford report delay

Health watchdog Monitor has announced the report into the future of the Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust has been delayed.

The Trust, which runs Stafford Hospital, was put into administration in April 2013 after its services were deemed unsustainable.

Trust Special Administrators have been granted an additional 30 working days to find a way of making health services provided by the trust financially viable after applying for an extension last week.

The Chairman of the Support Stafford Hospital campaign says it is 'dreadful' that the administrators request for more time to come up with a plan for the hospital has come so late.

Administrators, TSA, were due to report back next week with recommendations for the Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust after it was found that the trust was not clinically or financially sustainable.

Sue Hawkins, Support Stafford Hospital Chairman said:

"for the public and staff the waiting and anxiety continues. We can only hope that the TSA have realised that there needs to continue to be acute services at Stafford Hospital to serve our expanding community."

The review by administrators followed the conclusion of the Francis Report that hundreds of people suffered unnecessarily at Stafford Hospital between 2005 and 2009, where patients may have died needlessly because of neglect.

The administrators for Stafford Hospital that took over on April 16th had 45 days to come up with a plan of how to turn the Mid Staffordshire NHS Trust around - with a report due out next week.

They have now asked Monitor for a 30-day extension to that deadline. A decision on whether to grant the extension could be made by the board of Monitor next week.

All public consultation meetings already announced will now be cancelled and re-scheduled, if the extension is granted.

Administrators of Mid Staffordshire NHS Trust have asked for more time to come up with a solution of how to deliver long-term healthcare at Stafford and Cannock Chase Hospitals.

The Trust Special Administrators have asked health regulatr Monitor for a 30-day extension to finalise the plans in order to "get it right."

Monitor appointed the TSA in April after an independent review found the trust was not clinically or financially sustainable in current form.

Doctors who decide not to disclose details of their performance should be "named and shamed" the Health Secretary has said.

Jeremy Hunt said: "Subject to proper risk adjustment of the data there can be no valid reason why it should not be published - and the majority of consultants strongly support the case for doing so.

"In an era of public concern over patient safety issues at Mid Staffordshire Hospital, this will be a major step forward in restoring public confidence", he added.

It is understood Mr Hunt has asked officials to draw up plans to publish the death rates of NHS doctors as early as next month, and subject to legal requirements, he wants every consultant to be "obliged" to disclose the details.

He made the comments after it was reported doctors would be given the opportunity to opt out of the new league tables which assess their performance.

"Cure the NHS" campaigner Julie Bailey has welcomed a police investigation into hundreds of deaths at Stafford Hospital.

Staffordshire Police are looking into around 300 cases where neglect may have contributed to a patient's death.

Julie set up the group Cure the NHS after losing her mum who was a patient at Stafford.

Hundreds of deaths at the scandal-hit Stafford Hospital are to be examined by police.

A review into deaths at Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust has identified 200 to 300 cases where neglect may have contributed to death.

A review had been launched following the publication of the Francis Report into failings at the hospital to establish whether criminal offences were committed.

Hundreds of people have shown their support for Stafford Hospital which is in administration, short of money and might have to reduce services.

The hospital was heavily criticised over a high number of deaths.

Experts have suggested shifting some services to other hospitals, but thousands of people are against it.

Hundreds of people showed their support for Stafford Hospital last night, at an event organised to raise awareness of its significance to the area.

Lanterns were released and entertainment was organised by the Support for Stafford Hospital Group.

Cheryl Porter, spokesperson for the group, says the local area relies on the hospital.