Stafford Hospital fight petition close to 50,000 names
A petition calling for acute services at Stafford Hospital to be saved will be presented to Parliament next week.
Support Stafford Hospital campaigners were today launching their final push to reach 50,000 signatures. The petition is currently standing at around 45,000 names. But campaigners hope to reach their target before Stafford MP Jeremy Lefroy presents it to the House of Commons on Monday or Tuesday.
It will be handed in prior to the publication of a statement by the trust special administrators appointed to Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust. It comes just days after police revealed they are investigating between 200 and 300 deaths at the hospital between 2005 and 2009.
Officers believe neglect may have contributed to the deaths.
Meanwhile, campaigners have organised a second candlelit vigil to show their support for Stafford Hospital. The Support Stafford Hospital group had planned to hold the night-time vigil on the grounds of the hospital but bosses refused the move.
Shine a Light of Hope is being held next Tuesday in Market Square, the night before a draft plan is published that will help shape hospital services in Staffordshire.
Trust special administrators will release their preliminary findings on Wednesday.
Monitor has recommended a £70 million downgrade of Stafford and Cannock Chase hospitals.
Last month more than 1,000 people attended a night-time vigil in Cannock Road, near Brocton, organised by the Support Stafford Hospital group.
Group spokeswoman Cheryl Porter said: "We had so many calls from people who wanted us to hold another vigil so we decided the time was right. The trust administrators have said no to us having the vigil at the hospital. They say as it will be dark there will be some issues with safety. We want as many people as possible to bring lanterns or even torches along on June 18."
The vigil will start at around 9.45pm.
The following day the administrators of Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust, Dr Hugo Mascie-Taylor and Alan Bloom, will publish for the first time a draft plan on the future of services. The document will be published on the TSA website on June 19, with hard copies available from June 25.
Eight public consultation meetings have been planned to take place in Stafford, Cannock and Rugeley. The period of public consultation will last 30 working days, closing at midnight on August 5.
