hospital is set to open

A new £17 million hospital for Lichfield is set to open its doors to patients on Monday.

Visitors will not have to pay parking charges for the first week at The Samuel Johnson Community Hospital. The renal department will be the first to provide a normal service from 8am on Monday at the hospital off Trent Valley Road.

Sandra Walker of South Staffordshire Primary Care Trust said: "There will not be any car parking charges during the first week.

"We are still waiting for the signs to arrive and we cannot charge until the signs are in place. As soon as they are, the trust will be notifying the public."

People are urged to make a note of the new phone number for the hospital - 01543 412900 - which will apply from Monday.

Staff and services at the area's existing hospitals, the Victoria and Hammerwich Hospitals, are now being phased into the new facility.

From Tuesday, normal clinics at the outpatient department start, with the minor injuries providing a full service from 5pm.

X-ray will be open at both Victoria Hospital and Sam-uel Johnson Hospital from 9am to 5pm on Tuesday, with all x-ray services taking place at the Samuel Johnson from Wednesday.

Wards at both Hammerwich and Victoria Hospital will also be moving on Tuesday, with visiting from 6.30pm at the new hospital.

A normal rehabilitation service will start at the new hospital on Tuesday, and the physiotherapy outpatients service begins at 1pm.

On Wednesday, maternity services will begin at the Samuel Johnson, although people are advised to ring the Victoria before midday.

The Victoria and Hammerwich hospitals will be closed once all departments have been transferred.

By Faye Casey