Decision due on Stafford Hospital A&E overnight opening

The decision on whether to reopen Stafford Hospital's accident and emergency (A&E) unit at night will be taken later.

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

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

The final decision is expected to be made at a meeting of Staffordshire's primary care trusts.

The A&E unit was originally due to reopen in March but this was delayed until June because necessary staffing levels had not been met.

At a meeting in March the Mid Staffordshire 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.