Jeremy Lefroy MP tells Stafford's County Hospital bosses to get help needed to improve finances

The MP said County Hospital chiefs 'expected' to be put in special measures and said he had 'no problem' with it, providing services don't suffer.

University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust, which also runs Royal Stoke Hospital in the north of the county, was placed into special measures by NHS Improvement, NHSI – a department set up to aid 'rapid financial improvement'.

The trust has missed its savings target, reportedly by £40 million.

Now that the NHSI has stepped in, the trust will be supported in reducing agency staff spending and ensuring staff are 'paid appropriately' for the work they do.

It will also receive help with planning staff rotas more effectively.

The trust's chief executive Paula Clark, who took over the reigns at the troubled trust last year, welcomed NHSI's 'extra support'.

Fears have been raised in the last few months over the future of the A&E service after the five-year Sustainability and Transformation Plan (STP) for Staffordshire was published in December, revealing that one of the county's three A&Es would be downgraded to urgent care centre. Mr Lefroy said: "I spoke with Paula Clark just after the announcement was made regarding the trust being placed in special measures.

"She reiterated to me that there are absolutely no plans to close down the A&E department, which I was grateful to hear. I think to some extent the trust had been expecting to be put into special measures so it was no great surprise .I would urge that they do get the help they need in order to move out of special measures and as long as they do, I have no problem with this."

County Hospital's A&E has been closed overnight since December 2011, and is open between 8am and 10pm.

Campaigners have called for a round-the-clock service to be restored, especially in light of missed A&E performance targets at Royal Stoke University Hospital.

Ms Paula Clark said: "County Hospital is an integral part of the UHNM family, and our A&E offers a high quality and valued service to local people."