Wolverhampton's New Cross Hospital braced for more patients

It comes just weeks ahead of Wolverhampton health bosses officially taking over the running of the Cannock site.

The hospital will be taken over by bosses from the Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust when the troubled Mid-Staffordshire NHS Trust, which currently runs it, is dissolved.

But ahead of patients from Wolverhampton being transferred to the hospital on free shuttle buses – a move expected to begin in the coming weeks – Cannock Hospital has announced plans to close its minor injuries department and a general ward.

The controversial proposals have been put forward by health bosses in a bid to repair a £17 million hole in their budget.

A 12-week consultation is to be launched into the closures but it has already sparked warnings the move would heap even more pressure on New Cross, as well as Walsall Manor Hospital.

Both are already inundated with extra patients after opening times at Stafford Hospital's accident and emergency department were cut. New Cross chief executive David Loughton said he was consulted about the closures, but that it wasn't part of the deal agreed when New Cross bosses finalised plans to take over at Cannock.

However he did reveal he would be looking at opening a primary care facility at the hospital. "I question if now is the right time to shut a minor injuries unit," chief executive Mr Loughton said. "We were consulted but I didn't know it was as imminent as it is."

"I would see that when we do something in Cannock we'll have some sort of primary care facility. The details of that haven't been finalised yet."

Hospital bosses in Cannock have said a £14m upgrade is necessary to cope with the rising number of patients. The money would be spent on two extra medical wards, the redevelopment of intensive care, work on the A&E section, and an extension to maternity facilities.