Work under way at Cannock Hospital to cater for increased numbers

Work has begun on transforming part of a district hospital in readiness for its relaunch as a centre for non-emergency surgery.

Builders have moved into Cannock Chase Hospital and started to demolish the interior as part of an extensive building and refurbishment programme to improve facilities for a wider intake of patients. The Littleton ward has already gone.

Council leader George Adamson said: "It's good news. It will be fantastic to see the site fully used and providing a much-needed service. People will soon be able to rely on their operations taking place instead of having them cancelled at the last minute because of emergency admissions."

The work is part a radical overhaul of health services in the region which will see Cannock take over routine operations, such as gall bladder surgery, hernia repair and hip, knee and ankle surgery, from Wolverhampton's New Cross Hospital. Shuttle buses will be used to ferry patients between the two sites.

Bosses hope that the specialisation will lead to fewer operations being cancelled.

The number of theatres is to increase from five to seven and two new wards will be built.

Day treatment for endoscopy, rheumatology and dermatology is also moving to Cannock.

Work has started on the new endoscopy unity which will be situated in the former Littleton ward.

Up to 10,000 patients who would have gone to New Cross could have their surgery or treatment provided at Cannock Chase Hospital under the plans.

Bosses estimate this is just under a quarter of the total number of people who have inpatient and day case surgery in Wolverhampton each year.

Around 23,000 outpatients will also be seen, said Councillor Adamson, with the number of outpatients rooms set to double from 30 to 60 to accommodate the extra numbers.

Councillor Adamson said: "There is some new building going on but the hospital is only 24 years old so it is mainly a case of working on the interior, knocking down partitions, and so on.

"It is encouraging to see the workmen moving on to the site. I'm told everything is on course for the launch date of November 1."

As part of the shake-up, more patients will be going from Stafford Hospital to Walsall Manor and North Staffordshire hospitals.

A consultation into the plans ended earlier this month.

The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust, which runs New Cross, and healthcare funder Wolverhampton Clinical Commissioning Group, were behind the consultation.

With the number of patients, particularly in A&E, soaring in recent years, resources have been stretched to the limit at New Cross, leading to more operations being cancelled due to a lack of beds.