University Hospital of North Staffordshire plans takeover of services from centres in Stafford and Crewe
STAFFORDSHIRE'S biggest hospital is bidding to take on key services from centres in Stafford and Crewe in a merger move, The Sentinel can reveal.
The University Hospital of North Staffordshire (UHNS) has already started treating hundreds of patients from the troubled Stafford Hospital.
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The University Hospital of North Staffordshire
But now bosses will also open talks with Leighton Hospital to become the hub for acute care across Staffordshire and South Cheshire.
That would leave Stafford and Crewe with scaled-down centres serving less specialised and more minor needs.
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UHNS's new interim chief executive Jim Birrell will be told to lead the initiative when he arrives on Monday to replace Julia Bridgewater.
The take-over bid – turning UHNS into one of Britain's five biggest hospitals – emerged in a private letter chairman John MacDonald sent to consultants and senior nurses.
Leaked to The Sentinel, it says: "The board will be setting out for Jim our expectations for him over the next few months.
"These include ensuring UHNS becomes the fulcrum of hospital services in this part of England and leading discussions with neighbouring hospitals including the Mid-Staffordshire and Mid-Cheshire NHS Foundation Trusts."
UNHS already treats some cancer, kidney, stroke and heart patients from outside North Staffordshire but other services affected could include people needing specialist treatment for skin, back, joint, vascular, chest and neurological disorders.
Health campaigners in North Staffordshire welcomed the plan but warned that any poor practices from Stafford must not be allowed to 'pollute' care at UHNS.
Ian Syme, co-ordinator of North Staffordshire Healthwatch, said: "The downgrading of a town's hospital will inevitably bring protests but it is better for patients to travel further if that means they are in safer hands than in an environment which could be dangerous."
Community leaders in Crewe warned any attempt to downgrade Leighton or shut its A&E unit would be met by resistance.
David Newton, representing Crewe East on East Cheshire Council, said: "Leighton is not a failing hospital and moves to downgrade it would meet some local opposition."
Julie Bailey, chairman of Stafford pressure group Cure The NHS, said: "We would welcome anything that puts patients' safety as top priority even if that means a merger with UHNS."
A Stafford Hospital spokesman said: "Some services are already shared. We can say no more at present."
No-one was available for comment from the Mid-Cheshire Trust.
20 Comments
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by Patricia_62
Sunday, January 27 2013, 11:28PM
“Why is Mr McDonald telling the Trust to take over these services? The PCTs don't pay for the services they have received so how can they afford to take over more. There is physically not the space to expand. Unless the SHA are going to agree to write off the debts. Otherwise Mr Birrell will need to triple his pay for sorting out 3 hospital not one. I can see him demanding a parking space at the other 2 as we speak - I understand he will not be travelling on the shuttlebus like Julia did.”
by Clayhanger
Sunday, January 27 2013, 10:18PM
“Quite simply if they cannot sort out the car parking situation then how can they take extra work on from other hospitals, in the private sector the car parks would have been made customer friendly something easy something simple,if they cant handle the simple problems then there is no chance for the bigger situations”
by Eldercare
Sunday, January 27 2013, 9:59PM
“This Trust has issues of its own without taking on others I fail to understand how a hospital board can get from 2 million surplus to 25 million deficit since the Bedblocking questions how many of this trusts executives have gone and why ?.
This trust cannot handle it own budget what mess will there be when they take on more patients the basic core of this trust is faulty.
If the NHS model is to become a buisness this would be a failure waiting to happen”
by Exserviceman
Sunday, January 27 2013, 9:02PM
“This is nothing more or less than Empire Building , I'd be prepared to bet that any saving in staff will be medical and there will be a corresponding increase in managerial staff to co-ordinate the services.”
by adpadp
Saturday, January 26 2013, 9:29PM
“So which consultant or senior nurse leaked this to the Sentinel???”
by stokeandvale
Saturday, January 26 2013, 7:02PM
“FFDP1
No they are not, they have used it all up taping dummys to baby's mouths”
by Robnoxious
Saturday, January 26 2013, 6:46PM
“I think these Trusts are just like the Council. It isn't their own money they are spending, so anything goes. They tend to keep their jobs, no matter what happens. The risk ? As with the council, it will be all ours.”
by kilipo
Saturday, January 26 2013, 6:15PM
“they can not look after what they already do, are they not already in debt ?”
by Snaggletoooth
Saturday, January 26 2013, 5:35PM
“Sou the UHNS has agreed to do the work of 3 hospitals - is this the same hospital that is already sending patients it is too busy to treat to Birmingham?
The future of the NHS doesn't look good.”
by gladers
Saturday, January 26 2013, 12:47PM
“Already not enough beds, room in theatre or parking spaces, lets make the situation worse!!! It took them idiots 18 hours to put 3 stitches in to my 2 yr olds cut a week ago, and guess what because they had no room ended up glueing him up, now hes paying the price and so will that joke of a hospital!!!!”