Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust charged in connection with four deaths at Stafford Hospital

The allegations are for a breaches of health and safety and relate to patients who died between October 2005 and May last year.

They are Patrick Daly, aged 89, on 13 May 2014, Edith Bourne, aged 83, on 22 July 2013, Ivy Bunn, aged 90, on 6 November 2008 and Lillian Tucker, aged 77 on 21 October 2005.

The Trust, which dissolved in November last year, will appear at Stafford Magistrates Court on Wednesday November 4.

Wayne Owen, HSE Principal Inspector in the West Midlands, said: "We have concluded our investigation into the death of four patients at Stafford Hospital and have decided there is sufficient evidence and it is in the public interest to bring criminal proceedings in this case.

"There are four separate charges, each alleging a breach under Section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act."

The trust remains in place as a legal entity but no longer provides patient services.

The University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust took over at Stafford Hospital in November last year and rebranded the site as County Hospital.

Tim Rideout, Trust Special Administrator for MSFT, said: "The shell organisation remains in place to oversee outstanding business transactions and, most importantly, the potential criminal liabilities of MSFT, even though the Trust ceased to provide healthcare services and has not retained any assets or liabilities, other than criminal.

"In working jointly with the HSE, four cases have been identified for which HSE is prosecuting MSFT Shell organisation.

"I am committed to bringing matters to a conclusion as efficiently and effectively as possible in the best interest of the families concerned."

Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust would have to meet the cost of any fines, a spokesman confirmed.