Shropshire Star

Health campaigners blast mobile operating theatre and ward decision for Telford hospital

Health campaigners have hit out at a decision to bring mobile operating units to Telford's Princess Royal Hospital.

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The new mobile theatre and ward unit, supplied by private sector company Vanguard Healthcare, will allow doctors to carry out more surgical procedures, health chiefs say.

But Gill George, of campaign group Shropshire Defend Our NHS, has attacked the move.

She says "privatisation is no solution to Shropshire's NHS crisis".

"This is about not enough NHS facilities – not enough theatre capacity, not enough beds, and not enough staff," she said.

"The shortfall in core provision at our two hospitals has never been starker.

"We are hearing now of patients told by doctors that they need inpatient care – but sent away because there are no beds available at either hospital.

"We have been told of paramedics routinely having to care for patients in the corridors of A&E – because A&E is full, and cannot be freed up because there are no hospital beds available.

"Our local hospitals are sliding into crisis. This will not be solved by the introduction of two large demountable buildings – one to provide surgery, and one with recovery space for six to eight patients.

"The crisis will not be solved either by the £23 million cuts in local hospital care demanded by NHS England.

"NHS money needs to be spent on NHS care. That means NHS staff, NHS operating theatres, and NHS beds. The last thing this area needs is more privatisation.

"We need adequate funding to supply high quality care across both our hospitals and both our A&Es."

Campaign activist Joyce Brand, from Ludlow, said she found it "extraordinary" hospital bosses did not mention the move at either of the last two trust board meetings.

Mrs Brand, mother of comedienne Jo Brand, said: "I hope patients will be given a choice on whether they're treated by NHS staff or private sector staff.

"Little by little, we're losing the NHS.

"Every piece of privatisation is another nail in the NHS coffin."

Work being carried out at the unit will include orthopaedics, a speciality that focuses on the musculoskeletal system, and maxillo-facial, which focuses on the treatment of diseases affecting the mouth, jaws, face and neck.

The mobile units were used in June last year in an effort to address growing waiting lists in the same specialities.

The partnership saw an additional 742 treatments take place over a 23 week period.

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