Youngsters from the Telford area taken seriously-ill during the night will have to be taken to the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital.

The proposal is contained in the long-awaited strategic service plan, which aims to deliver “sustainable” healthcare across Shropshire and help sort out the £31 million cash crisis which continues to grip the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital Trust.

The other major shake-up, if eventually approved, will see all Shropshire urology in-patients treated at Telford. About 1,000 patients a year – including some from Powys – who would have used the Royal Shrewsbury, will be cared for at the Princess Royal.

Both changes will result in only minimal savings but are being proposed, it is claimed, to overcome staffing problems and help safeguard patients.

Referring to the possible changes at the Telford children’s unit, the service plan says: “It is important that rapid and comprehensive assessment of children is undertaken to ensure the highest level of safety.

“This is becoming increasingly difficult to achieve while running two separate in-patient units with full levels of medical staffing.”

The plan was presented to a meeting at AFC Telford, Wellington, of the joint NHS scrutiny committee of Shropshire County Council and the Borough of Telford & Wrekin.

It will now be the subject of a 12-week public consultation and, for a four-week period, will overlap with another document, which sets out proposals for closing wards at Ludlow hospital and reorganising community nursing and health visiting services.

Within the new plan are a number of other proposals. Once the consultation is over the county’s two primary care trusts will decide which proposals will be implemented.

Any changes are unlikely to occur before next April.

By Health Correspondent Dave Morris