No public inquiry at Stafford Hospital

Instead, after hours of debate at a major summit in Stafford, a group of councillors decided to wait until a probe into the hospital's A&E unit is completed before deciding whether or not to support the widespread calls.

The decision was made by Staffordshire Health Scrutiny Committee, after hours of debate at a major summit in Stafford.

The event, held at the county council's headquarters on Martin Street, saw dozens of health campaigners, healthcare staff, hospital managers and area councillors from across Stafford, Cannock and Lichfield take part.

It was also many borough and district councillors' first chance to grill Stafford Hospital bosses since the recent storm of controversy over the Healthcare Commission report – and several spoke out about their grave concerns over staffing, cleanliness and poor standards at the hospital.

Most also gave their backing to calls for a public inquiry, spearheaded by local campaign group Cure the NHS and supported by scores of MPs, but the health scrutiny committee itself held off making a decision.

Jim Muir, the meeting's chairman, said councillors first wanted to consult top expert Sir George Alberti, who is currently conducting a review into Stafford Hospital's A&E department.

Councillor Muir said: "We have not yet decided whether to call for a public inquiry. We will talk to Professor Alberti next week, and wait to read his report before we make that decision."

The committee also sought guarantees from David Stone, the interim chairman of Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust, that the trust's board would be more open with the committee in future and provide documentation when requested.

Mr Stone, who earlier this week pledged to hold future board meetings in public, claimed he would make every effort to co-operate, insisting: "We have nothing to hide."

He also gave a presentation on the measures being taken to address the issues brought out by the recent Healthcare Commission report.

He said: "What I wouldn't like to do is give the impression that so far, nothing has happened."

The scrutiny committee also agreed that councillors would hold more frequent and more in-depth meetings with bosses from Stafford Hospital.

Speaking after the summit, Councillor Muir said: "It was a very positive meeting, during which some very tough questions were asked.

"We have decided that councillors will now hold considerably more meetings with the trust to monitor their progress. These will also now involve members from the county and the districts.

"We will also ask Lichfield District Council to attend these meetings, because although last month's report by the Healthcare Commission only concerned serious failings at Stafford General Hospital, we need to look at all the activities of the trust.

"I am quite clear that extra resources should not be pumped into Stafford at the expense of other parts of mid Staffordshire."