Campaigners to meet over Stafford Hospital
Campaigners fighting to save services being stripped from Stafford Hospital are to meet tomorrow to draw up a plan of action.
They will gather at Stafford Civic Centre to discuss what can be done in the wake of recommendations which could see the hospital lose its intensive care unit, critical A&E care and maternity ward.
The meeting at 3pm is not for members of the public but the growing number of organisers launching a campaign to preserve the future of Stafford.
A dedicated Facebook site called Save Mid Staffs has been "liked" by more than 900 people. The group is also active on Twitter using @SaveMidStaffs.
Campaigner Diana Smith said: "This inaugural meeting will be about bringing together a number of different groups that have been operating in the interests of the hospital. The meeting will establish what this umbrella organisation can do.
"There is quite a lot going on. The Facebook page is really taking off and a website is being developed. There is talks of demonstrations coming up to. But all of this will be discussed at the meeting and the ideas will be coming from the community."
Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust was found to be clinically and financially unsustainable by health watchdog Monitor. The quango recommends a £70 million organisational restructure for both Stafford and Cannock.
Members of Stafford Hospital Working Group also met with Andy Donald who is the manager of both the Stafford and Surrounds and Cannock Chase Clinical Commissioning groups, which will take over setting the area's health priorities from next month.
The working group has compiled a report which outlines what it thinks are the priority services to be offered by Stafford.
The document earmarks accident and emergency, an intensive care unit, acute medical services, care for the elderly, surgery, consultant-led maternity ward and the ability to treat sick children as essentials.
