Walsall Manor Hospital is to take on major new role in Cannock Hospital future
Walsall's Manor Hospital still has a major role to play in the future of Cannock Hospital, administrators revealed as they addressed 200 residents at a public meeting.
Alan Bloom, one of the administrators tasked with transforming troubled Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust, has called for discussions between Walsall chief executive Richard Kirby and New Cross boss David Loughton to continue.
His comments came as he addressed 200 residents at Cannock's Prince of Wales theatre yesterday.
Under recommendations Wolverhampton would take over running of Cannock Hospital which would see 200 extra staff moved to the Beecroft Road site with the number of beds and operations increased as part of a £50 million investment in the two towns. Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust is also keen to run services at Cannock and has announced plans for a £6m extension to its maternity unit.
Mr Bloom said: "Walsall are very keen and there are discussions going on between them and Wolverhampton. We hope those talks continue. We recommended Wolverhampton take over Cannock because they bid to run the most services but that would still leave between 15 and 20 per cent of empty space at Cannock."
Cannock Chase MP Aidan Burley welcomed the plan to bolster Cannock Hospital which currently is half empty.
But he said he wants to see it used fully.
He said: "We really welcome the administrators' report and it is good for the people of Cannock but until we can get 100 per cent of it used there will still be question marks over its future."
Cannock Chase Council leader George Adamson said: "I think having Wolverhampton and Walsall on board in Cannock is the ideal situation."
During the meeting administrators Mr Bloom and Professor Hugo Mascie-Taylor said some of the country's top health professionals believe dissolving Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation
Trust and putting Stafford and Cannock hospitals under the care of University Hospital of North Staffordshire and Royal Wolverhampton Hospital Trust would repair the 'damage of the past'.
