Wake-up call on loss of Stafford Hospital services
Residents in Cannock Chase are unaware of how badly they will be hit if services at Stafford Hospital are lost, senior councillors warned today.
Health leader Muriel Davis issued a wake-up call to the people of Cannock, Hednesford and Rugeley and urged them to join Saturday's protest march in Stafford town centre.
She warned that local people may no longer be able to have hip and knee operations, or any other rheumatology surgery at Cannock Hospital under the plans.
Cannock's rheumatology and orthopaedics department is a centre of excellence but operations may be carried out elsewhere if the amount of surgery taking place declines.
Mothers would also have to give birth outside the county unless they were prepared to travel to the University Hospital of North Staffordshire in Stoke-on-Trent to have their children, said Mrs Davis.
"I am worried that the people of Cannock feel remote from what is happening at Stafford Hospital and feel that it does not affect them.
"I want them to know that it does. Losing these services would be detrimental to them.
"But from comments I've picked up at meetings and just speaking to people generally, it seems they do not realise that the two hospitals and their services are connected. There is an attitude of 'it's not my problem' and that concerns me.
"I urge the people of Cannock Chase to take part in the march on Saturday. We need to support the campaign for Stafford Hospital to stay open."
Council leader George Adamson agreed. He said: "I certainly get the feeling that people Cannock think it's not about them. We need to show the strength of public feeling about what is happening by attending the demonstration."
