Scandal-hit Stafford Hospital is set for a major facelift in the wake of the damning Healthcare Commission report.

The Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust is drawing up plans for some re-building work to make the hospital in Weston Road more patient-friendly.

The work is likely to take four-and-a-half years to complete, Cannock Chase Council’s scrutiny committee was told yesterday.

Trust deputy chief executive Mike Gill told the meeting the detailed improvement plan was to be published at the end of April and the Care Quality Commission, which has succeeded the Healthcare Commission, will be conducting a follow-up review in October.

Mr Gill said that there had already been progress although they were still getting complaints on a weekly basis.

So far 50 people have asked for independent case note reviews over relatives who have died at the hospital.

Mr Gill said the independent panel would meet relatives to discuss their concerns as well.

Infection rates were continuing to fall. In 2008-2009 MRSA cases were down to 10 compared to 18 the year before and 25 in 2006-2007. C Diff cases had reduced to 138 last year, down from 229 in 2007-2008 and 335 in 2006-2007.

Mr Gill also said that the mortality rates at the hospital had improved from 127 per cent in 2005-2009 to 88 per cent in 2008-2009.

There was also going to be increased investment in the hospital in 2009-2010 and recruitment of nurses had been stepped up with 986 now employed by the trust including 12 matrons.

Mr Gill said morale at the hospital was low following bad publicity which had led to some people withdrawing from posts they had been offered.

He claimed staff were getting positive feedback from patients on the wards, but he said it would take a long time to win back the hearts and minds of local people.

The committee agreed to chairman Councillor Darrell Mawle’s recommendation that the new health scrutiny working group should consider the trust’s action plan when it was released.

He said the council should hold fire on calling for a public inquiry into the hospital until the reviews by two leading health professionals had been completed.