Department of Health experts to target Shropshire's A&E waiting times

Shropshire will be given support as part of a programme to reduce hospital admissions. Only 86 per cent of A&E patients received treatment within four hours at Royal Shrewsbury Hospital and Telford's Princess Royal Hospital between October and December last year. The Government's target is 95 per cent.

Now officials in London have imposed an emergency care improvement programme on the trust that runs the two hospitals.

It will particularly focus on the winter months and will help Shropshire's struggling systems adopt "evidence-based tried and trusted improvements that are proven to work". These include early assessment and intervention for frail elderly patients to try to avoid admissions.

No funding will be given to help these areas make improvements but it is hoped improved organisation will make an impact.

Vincent Connolly, who will be clinical director in charge of the project, said: "Our challenge is to see real improvement in the four-hour waiting time standard which, in turn, will have a positive effect on patient outcomes and experience."

At a meeting of Shropshire Clinicial Commissioning Group (CCG) members were told A&E performance at Shropshire's two hospitals remains a significant concern.

A&E waiting time performance for the trust which controls Shropshire's two hospitals during August was 90.7 per cent, compared to the national standard of 95 per cent.

Wayne Greenwood, programme director for urgent care recovery, told a CCG meeting: "

Our next steps are to support actions to reduce the number of patients who are well enough to be discharged but who need a care package before they go home."

Graham Shepherd, patient representative, told the board: "This is the first time we have had logical plans and this is music to my ears."