County Hospital buildings could be sold to finance debt
Buildings or land could be sold off at Stafford's County Hospital in order to finance debts, its has been revealed.
Earlier this year, University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust (UHNM), was placed in financial special measures after missing its savings target by £40m.
Now it has emerged the organisation is reviewing 'buildings' and 'land' at Weston Road, as well the other hospital under its control, Royal Stoke, in order to raise money.
At this stage bosses have remained tight-lipped about exactly what plots or facilities could be under threat.
Paula Clark, chief executive, said: “UHNM are reviewing all the land and buildings we own at County and Royal Stoke University Hospitals and surrounding sites, with a view to releasing capital from anything deemed as surplus.
“Given our financial situation, this is a sensible use of resources.
“Part of the funding will help bridge our financial deficit, but there will also be an appropriate level of reinvestment to ensure our facilities and services continue to meet the needs of patients.
“This exercise is part of a wider review of services, and updates will come to Trust Board to ensure that any proposals are properly scrutinised and debated before being implemented.”
Stafford Borough Councillor Christine Baron said any potential sell-offs needed to be scrutinised and questioned exactly what land at the County site the trust could dispose of.
She said: "There was a piece of land some years ago that was earmarked for a car park, because the residents were concerned about people leaving their cars on surrounding roads.
"But that never came to fruition. Other than that I can't think what other land they could get rid off.
"So yes this does need to be scrutinised."
Councillor Baron declared there were other things within the trust which could be looked at to save money.
She added: "There are three things which the Government did which caused absolute chaos.
"They brought in PFI (Private Finance Initiative), they brought in trust status and they got rid of GP out of hours.
"With trust status you have got a board getting paid a fortune and a chief executive earning more than the Prime Minister.
"Then you have another management level.
"Ultimately it is money being spent away from the front line."
Julian Porter from the Support Stafford Hospital campaign group, said there was a degree of inevitability about the latest developments.
He also criticised MP Jeremy Lefroy for declaring, on the back of being re-elected last week, that a 24-hour A&E should be returned to County Hospital.
Mr Porter said: "This (proposal to sell off land) has been around for a long time.
"There is no children's A&E at Stafford, there will be no adult A&E soon and it will just be a hospital for elective surgery to make money for the trust.
"There has been no consultation around this. This has been thought up by three, four or five people through the back door.
"What they will say is that staff don't want to work there anymore and that it is unsafe.
"This is what happens when you take away the back-up services, you take away maternity, paediatrics and A&E.
"I don't know why Jeremy Lefroy is saying a 24-hour A&E should come back. He was already re-elected so why say that now?
"He must know better than anyone what is going on at the hospital, he should just be honest and blunt about it."
The Express & Star approached Mr Lefroy but he was unavailable for comment.
