Walsall Manor Hospital plans for impact of downgrades
A contingency plan is being drawn up by Walsall Manor bosses to cope with the £70 million proposed downgrade of Stafford and Cannock hospitals.
Hundreds of extra patients may be sent to the Manor if services are stripped from Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust.
Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust today said it was assessing the possible impact on the hospital, including the need for new staff.
Bosses insist it is not yet known exactly what extra services the Manor may be asked to provide, but initial preparations are under way to deal with changes.
Chief executive Richard Kirby said: “We would have to make sure we have enough capacity and staff to treat these patients.”
Some of the most serious cases face being transferred to Walsall, Wolverhampton and Stoke after health watchdog Monitor found the Mid Staffs trust to be financially and clinically unstable.
If the proposals are implemented, it is anticipated additional maternity services would come from Staffordshire to Walsall.
“If that happens we would expect to see a number of Staffordshire mums coming here,” added Mr Kirby.
It comes after Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust was rocked by a national scandal surrounding poor care and hundreds of needless deaths.