A special ward for treating winter vomiting bug norovirus will be set up at Stafford Hospital to avoid a repeat of last year’s chaos when several wards were shut.

The Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust Board revealed a “flex ward” will be ready to go with 21 beds ahead of the notorious winter season.

It was also revealed this time last year, 550 staff had received flu vaccinations, which has been boosted to 750 this year.

During the board’s meeting yesterday, the hospital’s chief operating officer Maggie Oldham said lessons had been learned from previous winters and chairman of the board, Sir Stephen Moss, said: “When I think of last year and the year before that, the norovirus caused us major problems.”

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