Scandal-hit Mid Staffordshire NHS Trust to be dissolved

Health campaigners in Stafford are starting the fight to get representation on the board of the new hospital trust, after the Mid Staffordshire NHS trust was dissolved by the Health Secretary yesterday.

The move will see some key health services moved to other hospitals.

They have also taken heart from the suggestion that consultant led maternity care could remain in the town and see it as "a start" in the battle to retain other services.

Read: Scandal-hit Mid Staffordshire NHS Trust to be dissolved

Campaigners trying to safeguard services at Stafford Hospital say they are concerned that consultant-led paediatrics will not be reviewed in the way consultant-led maternity services will be and say the full needs of the community "must be met."

The group say 50,000 people marched to show their support for acute services at Stafford Hospital last April and they gathered more than 56,000 signatures supporting them.

They say they are also concerned over what level of critical care and 24hr A&E provision will be delivered at the hospital.

Philip Atkins, Leader of Staffordshire County Council. Staffordshire County Council said the "terrible suffering" many endured at the hands of the Mid Staffordshire NHS Trust should never be forgotten, but it was now "absolutely crucial" to deliver the best service to people in Staffordshire.

Mr Atkins said: “While we shouldn’t ever draw a line under the Francis findings or forget the terrible suffering so many endured, I hope that together with our partners and crucially patients and their families, we can deliver an integrated health and social care service we can all be proud of.”

The council leader added there were still "significant concerns" over Staffordshire's "financial fragility" and the wider impact this decision will have. But he said he was pleased the Health Secretary had commended the efforts staff had made to turn around the quality of care at the trust.

Stoke North MP Joan Walley has urged the Prime Minister not to forget that University Hospital North Staffordshire will have to be funded to take on extra patients from Stafford in future.

Jeremy Hunt MP has agreed to dissolve the scandal-hit Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust.

Under today's announcement, Stafford Hospital could still retain consultant-led maternity services after the Health Secretary agreed for NHS England to carry out a review into the issue.

The original plan from administrators had been for maternity services to close. However, this was later amended to the creation of a midwife-led unit. Mr Hunt has now agreed for a review of that decision.

Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt has agreed to dissolve the scandal-hit Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust and move key services to neighbouring hospitals.