Cannock Hospital will not be forgotten, promise

It comes as hundreds of campaigners expressed anger following two meetings this week in Stafford which they say offered 'no answers'.

The summits at Staffordshire County Showground on Tuesday and Wednesday were hastily rearranged after sessions at Cannock Civic Hall and Walton High School in Stafford were cancelled due to administrators underestimating the number of people that would turn up.

Speaking at last night's gathering, administrator Alan Bloom, who has been brought in to oversee a transformation of Cannock and Stafford Hospitals, said the 350-capacity Premier Suite in High Green, Cannock, had been booked for his team to address the town on Tuesday at 6.30pm.

Mr Bloom apologised for cancelling the previous meetings but said he had done so after consulting the police.

He said the administrators were equally committed to Cannock as they were Stafford.

"It is quite right to say that Cannock always seems to be in the background," he said.

"Both hospitals will be assessed in the same way. There's no difference in how they will be assessed.

"One thing we are not wedded to is the name 'Mid Staffordshire' above the front door.

"From discussions we have had with staff in Cannock it is evident that they feel a little bit left behind and that the people of Stafford have galvanised themselves in a much more effective way.

"But I have no doubt by the time we have the meeting next week that the people of Cannock will be every bit as galvanised and organised as Stafford."

Both Cannock Chase Council leader George Adamson and MP Aidan Burley said they was pleased the administrators had committed to holding a meeting in Cannock. Mr Bloom announced last night that up to five members of the public from the Cannock and Stafford areas would be able to join an independent scrutiny committee, named the Health and Equality Impact Assessment Group, which was being set up.

Many left last night's meeting saying they had 'little confidence' in the process and challenged the independence of the 20-strong administration team

Founder member of Support Stafford Hospital Cheryl Porter said it was another frustrating night.

She said: "Although I think the administrator's performance was a lot better this time I don't feel he really answered the questions."

She added: "I am not medically or financially trained but I know from living in this town and looking at the issues that Stafford must retain acute services. If the administrators open their eyes and see what is going on they could come to that conclusion in a day."

Co-founder of Support Stafford Hospital Kate Howell said: "After cancelling the meeting and changing the venues, we now have had two meetings with not a single answer."Mr Bloom praised the staff at the hospital and said no redundancies would come as part of the administration process.

But he added that there would still be question marks over their future and thesituation reviewed.

After last night's meeting, Mr Bloom told the Express & Star he had found the consultations and gatherings held with the campaigners useful.

He said: "It has been very valuable to me in this early stage in the process to hear people's thoughts and views."