One of Shropshire's A&Es could temporarily close overnight
One of Shropshire's two A&E departments could temporarily close overnight to safeguard services, the trust that runs them has revealed.
The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust – which runs Princess Royal Hospital in Telford and the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital – says it wants to ensure it can keep services running safely and effectively ahead of a decision on how services are run in the long-term.
But that could mean temporarily closing an emergency department overnight should services become too stretched.
In a statement from the trust it said: "Listening to our doctors, nurses and other health professionals in A&E and also in acute medicine, critical care and other specialities, we know how fragile some of our services are.
"Our first duty of care is to our patients, and therefore it is vital that we have contingencies in place should the continued safe, effective and dignified running of these services become unsustainable because there are not enough staff to provide a safe service 24-hours a day in two A&E departments.
"In common with many other acute trusts across the country, one immediate measure could be the temporary overnight closure of one of our A&E departments.
"We need to consider this and other options carefully.
"This is not a decision that would be taken lightly and, indeed, the main focus of our work is to prevent the need for any significant changes before NHS Future Fit reaches its conclusions.
"Instead, our goal is that any changes should be made in a planned way based on agreements through the NHS Future Fit programme following widespread public consultation next year.
"But NHS Future Fit is due to conclude in Spring 2017 and, given the fragility of some of our clinical services, it would be irresponsible of us not to fully explore the contingency measures that might be needed if our service reaches a tipping point where it was no longer possible to maintain two safe
A&E Departments.
"We need to make sure that our services remain safe over the next 18 months NHS Future Fit concludes."
Over the coming months, SaTH Board members will be talking to staff, partners and with communities about the best way forward.
They will ask what situations might constitute a "tipping point" within an Emergency Department which would mean the service could not be maintained in its current format.
They will also ask what further steps could be taken to prevent tipping points being reached and if a tipping point was reached, what scenarios could be considered.
It will also ask what impact would those scenarios have on patients and communities and on other services inside and outside the hospitals.
Anyone with opinions or viewpoints should email consultation@sath.nhs.uk or write to the Chief Operating Officer at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital, Mytton Oak Road, Shrewsbury, SY3 8XQ or at the Princess Royal Hospital, Apley Castle, Telford, TF16TF.
