Protest at delays on Stafford Hospital inquiry aid

Hospital campaigners have written to Health Secretary Andrew Lansley to protest at the lack of a decision on whether to grant them funding for the public inquiry in the Stafford Hospital scandal.

With only a month to go until the inquiry begins, Cure The NHS have yet to hear whether or not it will be given any funding.

The group has been granted core participant status by Robert Francis QC, who is leading the inquiry, but he has yet to make a ruling on whether they will get cash to fund their legal costs.

Without the cash the group founder Julie Bailey has warned it may not be able to afford a barrister to represent them and will be unable to adequately prepare for the inquiry, which is to hear evidence at the borough council offices in Stafford.

The group will be going up against NHS bodies who have budgets running into millions - with their own legal teams paid for by the taxpayer.

Despite Cure the NHS being instrumental in exposing the appalling standards of poor care at the hospital it has yet to receive any formal decision on funding.

Stafford Hospital chief executive Antony Sumara has warned the probe could cost the trust £1 million.

Core participant status for the inquiry means Cure The NHS can be legally recognised at the inquiry, can submit evidence and suggestions and can take part in the proceedings.

Julie Bailey, founder of Cure The NHS, said: "We have written to Andrew Lansley to express our concern that no decision on funding has been made. We can't afford the costs ourselves."