Public to have say on takeover at Cannock Chase Hospital
The?public will be given a say before a decision is made on whether Wolverhampton or Walsall health bosses can run Cannock Chase Hospital, administrators vowed today.
And they said any proposals made by the two hospital trusts at this stage were 'entirely speculative'. Walsall Hospitals NHS Trust chief executive Richard Kirby today revealed that millions of pounds would be spent upgrading the Cannock site under its plans.
It comes just weeks after it emerged bosses at New Cross Hospital in Wolverhampton also want to take on the Cannock site.
Their bid would see thousands of Wolverhampton patients shuttled 10 miles across to Cannock on free buses for non-emergency surgery as it essentially becomes a sister hospital to New Cross. They would also spend money on upgrading the Cannock site.
The plans have been drafted in the wake of the fallout of the Stafford Hospital scandal which has seen a £70 million downgrade of services at Cannock and Stafford hospitals recommended by a team appointed by health watchdog Monitor.
The Trust Special Administrator, who has been appointed to decide the fate of the hospitals, said it will examine both the proposals and make a set of recommendations on July 31, before launching a public consultation which will run from August 6 until October 1.
TSA spokesman Nick Samuels said: "Anything said prior to the release of the report is entirely speculative. The TSA will continue the process of publishing draft recommendations and holding a public consultation before the Secretary of State makes a final decision."
Currently Cannock Chase Hospital is 40 per cent under-occupied and there has been a 30 per cent rise in attendances at Manor Hospital in Walsall from patients in Staffordshire.
Day case surgery, outpatient and diagnostics along with elective orthopaedics would all continue to be run at Cannock Chase Hospital under Walsall's proposals.
Speaking previously the chief executive of the Royal Wolverhampton Hospitals NHS Trust, David Loughton said he was working on various options with the administrator and in partnership with other NHS organisations.
Cannock Chase Council leader George Adamson said he welcomed both bids and added: "We support both, what we want is for Cannock Chase Hospital to stay open and as part of the NHS."
