By Vivienne Russell | 26 February 2014
Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt has confirmed that Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust will be dissolved, with its two constituent hospitals to be operated by other providers.
The announcement came in a written ministerial statement a year after the publication of Robert Francis’s inquiry into care failings at the trust.
Hunt was responding to the recommendations of the Trust Special Administrator Alan Bloom, who has been working with Mid Staffs and local commissioners since April and submitted recommendations to the Department of Health in January. The administrators recommended the dissolution of the trust with management of Stafford hospital passed to the University Hospital of North Staffordshire NHS Trust and Cannock Chase moving to the Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust.
‘It is vital that this structural change is made as soon as possible to stabilise local health services,’ Hunt said today.
The clinical model put forward by the TSAs would see 90% of patient visits continue at the hospitals, although some services would have to move away from Stafford hospital.
‘Local people can be reassured that local commissioners would need to be satisfied that there is sufficient capacity available elsewhere before moving services.’
Hunt added that he was satisfied that the model remained affordable in the medium term and, subject to the actions of local commissioners, would be financially sustainable.
Responding to the announcement on behalf of the three chief executives, Bloom said the decision was welcome.
‘We are therefore moving forward with plans for the dissolution of the trust and implementation of our plans to transfer management for the trust to UHNS and RWT as soon as possible, to stabilise local health services.
‘In developing our recommendations, the NHS commissioning body and the local commissioners were fully consulted along with local people and we received input from the National Clinical Advisory Group and other local providers in the local heath economy. Based on this extensive consultation process, the TSAs developed a robust clinical and financial model.’
