ins ula ▁are ▁propos ing ▁a ▁virtual ▁mer ger , ▁in ▁which ▁all ▁oper ational ▁functions ▁are ▁combined , ▁leaving ▁only ▁the ▁gover ning ▁bodies ▁separate . ▁ ▁S ust ain ability ▁and ▁transformation ▁plan ▁ ▁Staff ord shire ▁formed ▁a ▁sust ain ability ▁and ▁transformation ▁plan ▁area ▁in ▁March ▁ 2 0 1 6 ▁with ▁John ▁Mac Donald , ▁the ▁Chair ▁of ▁University ▁H osp it als ▁of ▁North ▁Mid lands ▁N HS ▁Trust ▁as ▁its ▁leader ▁ ▁Bur ton ▁Hospital ▁A & E ▁and ▁Staff ord ▁A & E ▁are ▁likely ▁to ▁be ▁down grad ed , ▁and ▁the ▁community ▁hosp it als ▁at ▁Long ton ▁and ▁C head le ▁and ▁Hay wood ▁Hospital ▁ ▁will ▁lose ▁ 1 6 7 ▁hospital ▁b eds . ▁ ▁A ▁Care ▁Qu ality ▁Commission ▁visit ▁to ▁Sto ke ▁found ▁that ▁in ▁the ▁city ▁there ▁was ▁no ▁shared ▁vision ▁for ▁services ▁or ▁evidence ▁of ▁whole ▁system ▁strateg ic ▁planning ▁and ▁commission ing . ▁So ▁many ▁older ▁people ▁had ▁to ▁stay ▁excess ively ▁long ▁in ▁hospital ▁before ▁they ▁could ▁be ▁moved ▁into ▁care . ▁It ▁critic ised ▁propos als ▁to ▁close ▁community ▁b eds ▁without ▁consult ing ▁social ▁care ▁leaders ▁about ▁the ▁impact . ▁ ▁Commission ing ▁ ▁North ▁Staff ord shire ▁C lin ical ▁Commission ing ▁Group ▁decided ▁that ▁from ▁October ▁ 2 0 1 5 ▁they ▁would ▁no ▁longer ▁pay ▁for ▁hearing ▁a ids ▁for ▁people ▁with ▁m ild ▁hearing ▁loss ▁or ▁some ▁people ▁with ▁moder ate ▁hearing ▁loss . ▁ ▁This ▁will ▁save