Lichfield and Burntwood should not continue to be “lumped in with Stoke-on-Trent” when coronavirus restrictions are decided, a local MP has said.
Staffordshire will remain in Tier 3 following an announcement from the Secretary of State for Health Matt Hancock.
But Lichfield MP Michael Fabricant say he has raised concerns over the region as a whole being decided together.
“I have explained to health ministers and their officials that travel to work patterns and NHS hospital usage is very different between the two halves of the county and we should not be all lumped in together.
“In particular, the south of the county looks towards the West Midlands and London for work, shopping and leisure, while the north look towards Manchester and Cheshire.
“Moreover, intensive care units in Stoke are at near capacity while the Queen’s Hospital in Burton and other local hospitals in the south have spare capacity.
“It is therefore nonsense to lump all of Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent together for assigning tiers.”
Michael Fabricant MP
The Conservative MP said that the issue needed to be addressed if the data is reviewed again in the New Year.
“In practice, this has not affected the decision today – both Lichfield district and Tamworth are well over 100 infections per 100,000, and surrounding areas are far higher.
“But there will come a time – perhaps near the end of January or sooner – when rates in Lichfield and southern Staffordshire will have fallen so far that the area should drop to Tier 2 despite higher levels in the north of the county.
“But it’s up to all of us to behave sensibly in the coming weeks to ensure that happens.”
“Matt Hancock has told me there is no golden rule that Staffordshire should be treated as one unit and if and when infection rates allow, the county may well be divided into two or more areas for assigning tiers.”
Michael Fabricant MP
