STAFFORD Hospital has lost £1m in income since its emergency department was closed, the Newsletter can reveal.
With a monthly loss of £500,000 that figure would rise to £1.5 million if the A and E was able to re-open on March 1 which was said last week to be unlikely.
The news comes as the hospital board was set to be updated today on the reopening of the emergency department.
The income is derived from a payment for each patient coming through the doors with charges varying according to the injury or illness.
With more than 750 patients already being seen by other emergency departments in the area it is a cost town MP Jeremy Lefroy is keen to minimise.
According to the latest figures available, 754 patients had gone to other hospitals for urgent treatment during the night up to January 10.
Of those, 138 were seen at Burton’s Queen’s Hospital; 210 went to New Cross Hospital in Wolverhampton; 230 to University Hospital of North Staffordshire and 176 to Walsall Manor.
But the hospital is being hampered in its efforts to recruit middle grade doctors one of the criteria for re-opening - by a national shortage.
Maggie Oldham, chief operating officer of Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust, said: “We are currently talking to several potential candidates and interviewing those with the required skills and experience to complement our emergency medicine team.” A decision on when the A&E will reopen is set to be made on February 23.
Mr Lefroy said “My main message is the opening must happen as soon as it’s safe to do so. If it’s not March 1, as soon as possible thereafter.
The progress has been good in some areas such as recruiting consultants but not quite as good with middle grade doctors.
“There are financial implications and nobody wants it to go on any longer than necessary. The main financial implication is probably loss of income per patient.” He said the cost of ambulances to take Stafford patients to other hospitals was £150,000 a month but this was paid for by South Staffordshire Primary Care Trust.
A spokesman for the hospital confirmed the closure was costing £500,000 a month in lost patient income.
