Stafford Hospital A&E ready to reopen, say managers

Stafford Hospital's accident and emergency (A&E) unit is ready to reopen at night, according to managers.

A&E has been closed from 22:00 to 08:00 since December as Mid Staffordshire Trust tried to recruit more staff.

It was originally due to reopen in March but this was delayed until 11 June because necessary staffing levels had not been met.

Managers told the trust board that those levels were now being achieved as were government A&E waiting times.

Final decision

At a meeting in March the trust was told six senior emergency medicine clinicians had been recruited, one more than the target that had been set.

The trust also heard in March that five middle grade doctors needed were in place together with three locum doctors.

A final decision on whether the department can be reopen 24 hours a day will be made by Staffordshire's primary care trusts on 8 May.