MPs call for support from David Cameron over Stafford Hospital
MPs have met with David Cameron to seek his support for Stafford Hospital as a campaign continues to stop it being downgraded.
And they say the Prime Minister "fully understands" the worries of Stafford and Cannock residents over the proposed £70million downgrading.
A cross-party contingent of Staffordshire MPs Jeremy Lefroy, Bill Cash, Aidan Burley, Gavin Williamson, Andrew Griffiths and Joan Walley met the Prime Minister at 10 Downing Street yesterday.
The 20-minute discussion was said to be "positive" with the PM "receptive" to their fears.
Mr Lefroy also reminded the Prime Minister of his comments in an interview with the Express & Star at the weekend in which he said he did not want to see the £70m downgrade of the hospital that health watchdog Monitor recommends.
"The Prime Minister was very receptive and understood our questions," said Mr Lefroy today.
"We spent 20 minutes with him in total and he is very well aware of what is going on and said that he had seen the march on Saturday. He wants to see a sensible outcome"
At the meeting, Mr Burley made the case for "fully utilising" Cannock Chase Hospital. He said: "Cannock Hospital has been run to the ground and totally neglected by the Mid Staffs trust.
"I told the Prime Minister that we want to see Cannock fully utilised.
"We are all adamant that we need to see more services being provided in Cannock as well as maintaining vital services in Stafford," he said.
"The conversations were very encouraging and he fully understands where we are coming from."
Mr Lefroy said he would be meeting with the trust special administrators again in the next week.
He also urged constituents to write to administrators Dr Hugo Mascie-Taylor and Alan Bloom.
He has also met with bosses at University Hospital of North Staffordshire to see how the trust could work with Stafford and Cannock Hospitals.
Mr Lefroy added: "At the moment it is not the Prime Minister's hands and we are all waiting for the administrators' proposals.
"I have already spoken to health secretary Jeremy Hunt about this and will keep on having close discussions with him and his department.
"In the meantime it is crucial that the people of Stafford and Cannock keep on letting the administrators and their GPs know their views."
