'Conversation' on future of healthcare in Staffordshire launches
A "conversation" about the future of healthcare in Staffordshire, which campaigners fear could put the County Hospital A&E at risk of closure, has been launched.
Health chiefs say they will carry out a listening exercise and that a key focus for the future will be "simplifying the local and emergency care system".
This has sparked concern it could lead to the closure of either the emergency department at County Hospital in Stafford or the one based at Queen’s Hospital, Burton. County Hospital bosses say there are no plans to close the A&E, which only runs until 10pm.
Simon Whitehouse, Director for Together We’re Better, which will be holding conversation events in the county over the next 12 weeks, said: “We are not putting forward any proposals at this point. This is a listening exercise and we want to hear from you.
"Please share your thoughts, experiences and ideas as part of this important first stage in developing proposals for change. We have a genuine opportunity to get local people to share their views, but we are going to be honest about some of the very real challenges that we face locally as well.”
An event will be held at the Riverway Centre in Stafford from 7pm to 9.30pm.
