20,000 outpatients to be relocated from New Cross Hospital

More than 20,000 outpatient cases a year will move from New Cross Hospital to Cannock as part of plans to relocate services.

Health chiefs in Wolverhampton will soon take over the running of Cannock Chase Hospital, with patients being ferried between the sites on free shuttle buses.

The plan forms part of the dissolution of Mid-Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust.

Bosses have previously said that 10,000 inpatient cases will switch from New Cross as part of the plans - around 20 per cent of inpatient activity at the Wednesfield-based hospital.

But it has now emerged five per cent of its outpatient cases such as minor surgery, where patients do not need an overnight stay for what are often common procedures, will also move to Cannock.

Chief executive of the Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust, David Loughton, is overseeing the plans.

In a joint statement with Dr Helen Hibbs, from Wolverhampton Clinical Commissioning, he said: "This approach has been used in a number of places across the country where it has improved the way services are delivered for all patients, giving them a much better experience.

"The number of patients needing urgent or emergency care treatment at New Cross Hospital is continuing to grow.

"This means many people are occupying beds that should have been used for planned operations or treatment.

"As a result, more and more planned operations are being cancelled, often at the last minute.

"We are proposing to protect planned care from the pressures of emergency care by increasing this service at Cannock Chase Hospital.

"This means that more planning operations and treatment could be carried out at Cannock Chase Hospital, whilst New Cross Hospital would become a centre of excellence for emergency and complex care."

The radical proposals were first unveiled last June.

The £30m project was given a £10m cash boost by the Government earlier this year.

Mr Loughton oversaw a similar project with hospitals in Coventry and Rugby at his previous post.

Facilities at Cannock, including operating theatres, as being upgraded as part of the project.

With the number of patients - particularly in A&E - soaring in recent years, resources have been stretched to the limit at New Cross, leading to more operations being cancelled due to a lack of beds.

The types of surgeries to be undertaken at Cannock include gall bladder surgery, hernia repair and hip, knee and ankle surgery.

Day treatments such as endoscopy, rheumatology and dermatology are also lined up for Cannock.

A public meeting about the plans takes place tonight at The Workspace in All Saints from 6pm to 8pm.