Stafford Hospital campaigns 'need to combine'

Groups set up to stop services being taken away from Stafford Hospital need to join up, according to a campaigner.

A recent report for regulator Monitor recommended a number of services should be downgraded and patients treated at alternative hospitals nearby.

They included maternity care and some accident and emergency (A&E) and paediatric treatment.

Diana Smith, from the town's Labour Party, said pressure groups would benefit from combining resources.

Ms Smith said: "There's actually about five different campaigns going on at the moment.

"We need to keep all that energy but we need to bring it in under a big umbrella so that they all connect.

Before the report had been published Monitor announced the administration process for the Mid Staffordshire NHS Trust, which controls Stafford Hospital, was to begin.

Ms Smith added: "We want to make sure that the administrators really do have a clear idea of what the community feel.

"This is really an opportunity to set up a blueprint for the future of the way district general hospitals work in the future."