£1.8m hospital shake-up nearly done

A controversial £1.8 million re-organisation at a Staffordshire hospital is almost finished, it has emerged.

Bosses say the revamp of the Brunswick Road site of Cannock Chase Hospital, is due to be completed by Christmas.

Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust, which runs Cannock and Stafford hospitals, has moved wards and services into the top two floors. The trust plans to lease the ground floor to a private healthcare firm. Two operating theatres for day orthopaedic cases are on the top floor.

The old Hollybank rheumatology ward also moved upstairs to create a muscular-skeletal unit.

Wards were given a makeover but critics say the trust is running the hospital down and attacked the decision to close wards.

The trust says parts of the hospital are underused because people do not stay as long as they once did and moving out of the bottom floor will save about £500,000 a year. Chief executive Martin Yeates says this equates to 20 nursing jobs.

Property advisers DTZ are marketing the ground floor as "Cannock Health Campus." Organisations have expressed interest and the trust is believed to be seeking formal proposals.

Sarah Hart, Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust head of capital development , said: "This project has given us a golden opportunity to make sure departments which work closely together are sited near to each other. This is more convenient for patients, who may need to visit more than one department, and for staff so that they can liase closely with colleagues in other areas."

Chief executive Martin Yeates added: "We believe our plans have created a vibrant environment for the range of services we already provide and those that are yet to come. I'm sure many local people will be surprised at just how much is available for them and their families at Cannock Hospital."