It is currently planned to downgrade the maternity unit3 at Stafford to a midwife led unit in January 2015, which means that the majority of local mums (perhaps ¾) will have to travel to UHNS Stoke or New Cross Wolverhampton to give birth. The special care baby unit will also go, and in March2 the paediatric service will be reduced to a daytime assessment unit without a paediatrician.

Last year 50,000 people marched against the suggested changes, and a further 20,000 people marched against the proposals specifically against the proposals for the Children’s Ward5. In the grounds of Stafford Hospital there are local people camping with Support Stafford Hospital to protest against the transfer of our services . The people of Stafford have very clearly shown that we do not want to lose our vital services.

• Maternity and Paediatrics are currently fully staffed4. Both services are well loved locally and appear to be performing well in recent assessments.

• UHNS and New Cross are 30 to 40 minutes away from Stafford in good traffic – longer if there are problems on the M61 or A3412, which is a common occurrence6. This is uncomfortably far for a woman in labour – most prefer to travel no more than 25 minutes. It could also be risky for an ill child and certainly very worrying for already anxious parents. Time is an important factor for seriously ill children11.

• By making the decision to transfer maternity services to the University Hospital of North Staffordshire (UHNS) and Wolverhampton New Cross Hospital, the Secretary of State is failing to uphold the Department of Health pledge that all women should be able to choose how and where they give birth8.

• NHS England were asked in February7 to review whether a consultant led unit at Stafford could be sustained and they have not yet reported, but the changes are already affecting pregnant women10.

The changes are bad for local families and have the potential to put children’s lives in danger. They should not go ahead. 

We the undersigned9 support Stafford parents and their children. We call on Stafford and Surrounds Clinical Commissioning Group, University Hospital of North Staffordshire NHS Trust and the Secretary of State for Health to halt the downgrading of Maternity and Paediatrics at Stafford Hospital, and to look at all the options that are available to keep services local where they are needed.

References

1. Ashdown, K (2014) Accident closes two lanes of the M6 south of Stafford. Available from: http://www.staffordshirenewsletter.co.uk/Accident-closes-lanes-M6-south-Stafford/story-22848778-detail/story.html 
   
   
2. BBC 28.08.2014 Downgrade 'by March' for Stafford Hospital paediatric care. Available from: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-stoke-staffordshire-28971233
   
   
3. Care Quality Commission Maternity Survey 2013 results. Available from: http://www.cqc.org.uk/provider/RJD/survey/5#undefined 
   
   
4. CQC Inspection report July 2014: ‘The ward managers for the paediatric unit …told us that their departments were fully staffed. ..One nurse said: “My children were both on the ward and I knew I wanted to work here”. Available from: http://www.cqc.org.uk/location/RJD01/inspection-report/RJD012014-04-09/13#report-top 
   
   
5. Express & Star (2014) Stafford Hospital march: Year later and still fighting. Available from: http://www.expressandstar.com/news/2014/04/20/stafford-hospital-march-year-later-and-still-fighting/ 
   
   
6. Express & Star (2014) M6 to be closed overnight for two weeks. Available from: http://www.expressandstar.com/news/2014/08/25/m6-to-be-closed-overnight-for-two-weeks/
   
   
7. ITV News (2014) Review to be carried out into maternity services at Mid Staffs. Available from: http://www.itv.com/news/central/update/2014-02-26/review-to-be-carried-out-into-maternity-services-at-mid-staffs/ 
   
   
8. Lepper, J (2012) Spotlight on government maternity pledges as pregnant women report lack of support. Available from: http://bit.ly/YIKrAT
   
   
9. NCT Stafford (2013) Local parents’ charity opposes maternity closure. Available from:http://www.nct.org.uk/sites/default/files/related_documents/Press release 29.09.2013 NCT Stafford.pdf 
   
   
10. Staffordshire Newsletter (2014) Stafford Hospital protesters fury at shock maternity unit closure announcement. Available from: http://www.staffordshirenewsletter.co.uk/Stafford-Hospital-protesters-fury-shock-maternity/story-22795283-detail/story.html 
    
    
11. Staffordshire Newsletter (2014) Stafford Hospital: Leading doctors warn of risks to children if services are lost. Available from: http://www.staffordshirenewsletter.co.uk/Stafford-Hospital-Leading-doctors-warn-risks/story-22300664-detail/story.html
    
    
12. The Sentinel (2014) Traffic news: accident on A34 in Talke causes delays. Available from: http://www.stokesentinel.co.uk/Traffic-news-accident-blocks-A34-near-Talke/story-22299917-detail/story.html