Closing Cannock Hospital unit 'makes no sense'

Mr Burnham urged health bosses to re-think their plans - as a public meeting revealed that the unit is currently costing the cash-strapped hospital £750,000 a year to run.

Andy Burnham was in Walsall to launch Labour's manifesto for councillors and party members at the Moxley People's Centre when he spoke about his concern over the hospital plans.

He said he wanted the Cannock Chase and Stafford Clinical Commissioning groups - who decided what services are provided in the two areas - to think again over how to plug a £17 million hole in their budget.

"To close the MIU makes no sense," he said. "The patients have to go somewhere and many will just end up going to accident and emergency. It costs more to treat someone in A&E than in a walk in centre or MIU. It is a false economy and will just put financial pressure on services elsewhere. I urge the clinical commissioning groups to think again."

Under controversial proposals, health bosses are looking at closing the department at Cannock Hospital which they say is 'inefficient', as they face a £17 million hole in their budget.

But they argue they want to replace the unit with a new 'emergency centre' in the town which would be run by doctors and include services such as radiology, and blood tests.

During a meeting of Cannock Chase Clinical Commissioning Group, the annual cost of running the unit was revealed.

Chairman Dr Johnny McMahon said a 'significant amount' of people, around 40 per cent, currently going to the unit needed to go and see their GP instead.

He said: "About 75 per cent attending do so in office hours and around 20 per cent who are seen have to be referred to another agency for something like an X-ray. It is not efficient and it means we are paying for services twice. Many people are going there with an illness not an injury which is not cost-effective."

A 12-week consultation is to be launched into the closure of the Cannock Hospital unit but it has already sparked concern from residents that services are to be stripped.

They also fear having to travel to Wolverhampton, Walsall and Stafford for treatment.

Councillor George Adamson, leader of Cannock Chase District Council, said: "Cannock has always had fewer services than Stafford and we feel this is an asset that is going to be removed and not replaced."

Bosses have also revealed that the closure of Littleton ward at Cannock Hospital at Christmas over quality and safety issues could be made permanent.

Any decision on the future of the minor injuries in Cannock will not take place for around four months, Dr McMahon said.