Campaigners will continue fighting to keep key services at Stafford Hospital despite the Health Secretary's announcement that paediatric and some critical care would be transferred out of the area, along with the dissolution of the
Jeremy Hunt approved proposals to downgrade some services and dissolve the Foundation Trust after administrators concluded it was neither financially or clinically viable in the long-term.
The shake-up will mean Stafford Hospital could still keep consultant-led maternity services pending a review by NHS England, rather than the proposed midwife-staffed unit as administrators had recommended.
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The main campaign group Support Stafford Hospital (SSH) has seized on that potential reversal calling it "a start" in the battle to retain the other key services at the site.
In April last year, 50,000 people marched through the town in support of keeping the hospital as it was.
Sue Hawkins, from SSH, welcomed the suggestion a consultant-led maternity unit could be kept at the site but added it was important to "get it right" this time around.
She said: "We've got to see what that comes to and that's looking to the future, with NHS England working with the commissioners (the clinical commissioning group).
"I'm hopeful but let's wait and see - the proof of the pudding is in the eating."
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She believes that with consultant-led maternity services now back under consideration, any down-sizing of paediatric care would also need reviewing.
"We're concerned about safety, and the same could be said for paediatrics," she said.
"So, if you're talking about transporting people who are sick or mothers who are in labour the same case stands for paediatrics and certainly if they had a consultant-led maternity unit I feel there should be some provision for a paediatrics here."
However, she said it was still "a huge problem" there was another potential period of uncertainty over what form maternity services would take.
"This uncertainty is a huge problem - it's been a huge problem throughout the TSA (trust special administrator) process.
"We've lost staff but we haven't been re-attracting because nobody knows if there's going to be a job here for them in the future.
"I think that's very worrying.
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"Hopefully as we join with University Hospital of North Staffordshire NHS Trust (UHNS) that gives security, and we have to wait and see but it's been a very long protracted process and I wouldn't wish it on any other community."
She also praised current staff for turning the hospital around.
"We need to go away, read it, digest it and see what the implications are," she said of today's announcement.
"They're talking about not moving anything until there's capacity elsewhere, we know capacity is a huge issue at other hospitals, we know they've got financial problems, let's not push the problem out, let's not make other hospitals fail.
"Let's get this right, it may be three or four years before things can move, it's got to be done safely at the end of the day.
"It has to be right for all communities."
Maggie Oldham, chief executive of Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust, said: "I hope that today's announcement by the Secretary of State will give staff assurance that they have a part to play in the future of health services for patients in Staffordshire.
"I would like to pay tribute to all the staff at our hospitals who continue to focus on delivering safe and compassionate care for our patients, despite the difficulties and uncertainty they have faced.
"Mid Staffs has come a long way over the past few years and I am very proud of all of our staff and what they have achieved.
"I would also like to remind patients that we are still working as usual and that they should please keep their appointments and keep using the services provided at Stafford and Cannock Chase Hospitals."
Philip Atkins, leader of Staffordshire County Council, said: "The decision to dissolve Mid Staffordshire NHS Trust means it is absolutely crucial that all partners involved in the NHS now pull together and deliver what is best for the people of Staffordshire.
"While this will undoubtedly be a bitter blow for campaigners, it is also an opportunity to show how the county can now lead the way in demonstrating how integrated hospital and community care can be both delivered safely and meet the highest standards.
Alan Bloom, trust special administrator for Mid Staffs, said: "We aim to transfer the management of Stafford and Cannock Chase hospitals to the University Hospital of North Staffordshire NHS Trust and The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust as early as possible.
"This prompt transfer is necessary to help to address the significant challenges currently faced by Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust, especially those challenges faced around recruitment and retention.
"We believe that a prompt transfer is likely to reduce uncertainty for patients, local people and staff."
Christine Baron, a Stafford borough councillor who sits on the local authority's health scrutiny committee, and fellow councillor Ann Edgeller said they were disappointed with the announcement and the fight to keep services would continue.
Mrs Baron said consultant-led maternity services were desperately needed.
"We don't want to lose mums and babies on the hard shoulder going up to UHNS," she said.
"If we don't keep consultant-led maternity, and a mother needs to have a Caesarean, she has to be rushed up to UHNS and the motorway is frequently blocked."
"We need our paediatrics, we need our ICU and we need our maternity services."
Mrs Edgeller said with thousands of troops returning to Stafford from bases in Germany and 7,500 new homes needed in the next few years, the area's population was going to increase, meaning maternity services with obstetricians on the wards were crucial.
"Partly it's good news, but on the other hand we need the paediatrics and maternity consultant led," she said.
"We understand we need hospitals of excellence where people can go for major surgery, but at the end of the day this hospital needs to be a district general.
"If we don't have consultant-led maternity, how many mothers and babies will we lose being transferred up to UHNS.
"It's a half hour or forty minute drive when the roads are clear."
Meanwhile, Stafford MP Jeremy Lefroy welcomed the review into a consultancy-led maternity unit, and said local accountability on the trust board was crucial.
"We must now see a merger with the UHNS and Royal Wolverhampton Hospitals NHS Trust and not a takeover," he added.
"A lot of work must now go into the governance structure of the new trust to ensure the people of Stafford get a fair voice on the board."