Tories' hospital inquiry pledge

The party has today confirmed to the Express & Star that if it wins the election, which must be held before May 2010, then David Cameron will set up a public inquiry to examine the poor standards of care at the hospital.

Andrew Lansley, shadow health secretary, told the Express & Star: "If all the issues we have raised about the awful treatment of patients at Stafford hospital remain unresolved by the time of the next election, a Conservative Government would hold an immediate public inquiry so that the people of Stafford can get the answers that they need."

Mr Lansley has said the Healthcare Commission report, which found "appalling" standards of care and possibly as many as 1,200 unnecessary deaths, did not address the roles of the Department for Health, the Strategic Health Authority or the PCT and that a public inquiry was the only solution.

At a House of Commons vote on Monday, MPs voted 260 to 217 against a public inquiry. Stafford MP David Kidney, Stone MP Bill Cash and Lichfield MP Michael Fabricant voted for an inquiry. Only Cannock Chase MP Tony Wright did not, he abstained from the vote. The Commons Health Select Committee is to carry out its own investigation into Stafford Hospital but that will not prevent the Tories from calling an inquiry if they are elected.

Julie Bailey, founder of Cure the NHS today welcomed the pledge from the Conservative Party and revealed the group were already working on the evidence they would present to any inquiry.

She said: "We are really pleased that the Conservatives had made this promise. The whole community wants the answers to the questions we still have and we want people from that trust to be held to account. We would be just as pleased with Labour if they would call a public inquiry but we feel so let down by the Government.

"We have already started to collate things for the inquiry. We are not going to go away."