Cannock Hospital takeover date looms
The trust which runs New Cross Hospital will officially takeover Cannock Hospital in one week's time after the move was approved in Parliament.
An order confirming the transfer - and allowing for the dissolution of Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust - went before Parliament yesterday for final approval after the health secretary Jeremy Hunt previously agreed the move.
Some staff at Cannock, where all of New Cross' non-emergency surgery is being moved to, will have their contracts changed to the Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust.
Tens of millions of pounds is being spent on transferring services and upgrading Cannock Hospital, with shuttle buses set to transfer patients between there and New Cross.
More than 20,000 outpatient cases and 10,000 inpatient cases will move from New Cross to Cannock.
Chief executive of the Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust, David Loughton, is overseeing the plans.
The radical proposals were first unveiled last June and the £30m Cannock 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.
The types of surgeries to be undertaken at Cannock include gall bladder surgery, hernia repair and hip, knee and ankle surgery.
The motion which went before parliament also officially paved the way for services at Stafford Hospital, which from November 1 will be called County Hospital, to be taken on by University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust.
Ahead of the changes a board meeting of bosses at New Cross will be held at Cannock Hospital on Monday.
Changes to the services at both hospitals will be discussed.
It will take place at 10am and members of the public are welcome to attend.
