Mother of twins praises care at Stafford Hospital
A mother of twins who were born at Stafford Hospital has hailed the outstanding care she received, as she warned against plans to close its maternity unit.
Jennifer Leathwood delivered Zachary and Riley at Stafford on August 28 this year and today praised staff for their 'fantastic' care. It came as a public consultation on the proposals to cut services from the hospital closed at midnight.
Stafford MP Jeremy Lefroy is opposing plans to close Stafford's maternity unit, withdraw paediatric inpatient care and downgrade critical care.
Zachary needed to be put on an incubator after weighing just 3Ibs 14oz and spent around a month in the special care baby unit. Riley, who weighed just over 5Ibs, was initially tube fed after his arrival.
Part-time paramedic Jennifer, who lives with her partner Stuart Pope in Foxtail Way, Wimblebury, Cannock, said they had been grateful for the efforts of staff.
The 37-year-old said: "We were really impressed, I don't think we could have had better care, it is such a shame it is going to go, it will leave a big hole.
"From what we have experienced I think it is such a shame they are thinking of shutting maternity. All the staff were fantastic, you just can't fault them."
Jennifer has another boy Jacob aged seven and her partner Stuart, a distribution manager, has a 10-year-old son Callum. Their twins were born on August 28.
The cuts at Stafford would mean the dissolution of Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust, which runs Stafford and Cannock, with other trusts including Wolverhampton taking on the running of those sites. Mr Lefroy says he supports Mid Staffs being axed but wants services to be retained.
Cannock MP Aidan Burley has also submitted his response to the plans, which will lead to the underused Cannock Chase Hospital building receiving an extra influx of patients from Wolverhampton. Bosses at New Cross would take over running the site under proposals.
"We now have a once in a generation opportunity to bring Cannock Chase Hospital to life again," Mr Burley said.
However Mr Burley added he opposed closing maternity at Stafford. "I do not believe the case has been made that that in itself is a reason for moving all maternity care from Stafford."
