Express & Star

Crisis-hit Stafford Hospital to be downsized in new proposal

Hospitals in Stafford and Cannock should be downsized and patients treated for more serious illnesses at other hospitals in the region, a report has recommended.

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Health watchdog Monitor unveiled its recommendations for the future of services at trouble-hit Stafford Hospital after declaring the trust that runs it and Cannock "clinically and financially unstable".

Under proposals recommended in the report, which will be considered by administrators, the two smaller hospitals would provide emergency and urgent care, speciality outpatient care, care beds for the elderly, diagnostics and maternity services.

Serious care would be provided by Wolverhampton's New Cross Hospital, Walsall Manor and University Hospital North Staffordshire.

The report was being released after initial steps were taken to put the trust which runs both Stafford and Cannock Hospitals into special administration.

But Monitor bosses today said there would "always be hospital presence" in Stafford and Cannock in some form.

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