Weight-loss surgery centre being planned for Shrewsbury or Telford hospitals
The number of weight-loss surgery procedures is set to double if a new centre of excellence is created in Shropshire.
A Centre of Excellence for bariatric surgery could be created at either the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital or Princess Royal Hospital in Telford if plans to transform healthcare in the county go ahead.
The current plans are that this service would be based on the planned care site and not the site that will house the emergency centre.
Previously, under the Future Fit reorganisation process, it has been suggested that the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital could offer the county's sole A&E department, and take on responsibility for women and children's services. The Princess Royal Hospital would lose its A&E and Women and Children's Centre but take responsibility for planned care.
No final decision has been made and ongoing delays make it more likely that the plans will not be released until next year.
Currently Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust (SaTH), which runs RSH and PRH, has three bariatric consultants who carry out surgery procedures for just over 160 patients every year.
Under the plans, a Bariatric Surgery Centre of Excellence would be created, which would allow up to 300 patients a year to have the life-changing surgery.
Bariatric surgery procedures can prevent multiple medical problems associated with weight, and even reverse diabetes, which is seen as a growing national problem.
James Rink, chief bariatric surgeon at SaTH, said: "At present the need and demand far outweighs what can be provided.
"The Sustainable Services Programme provides an excellent opportunity for us to do so much more which will be fantastic for patients in Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin and mid Wales who need to access bariatric surgery.
"We currently have access to theatres and clinics which are shared by a number of specialities, so we are restricted in how many patients we can help."
Mr Rink added: "This would bring so many benefits. We would be able to double the number of patients we can treat each year, which means more patients can be seen closer to home.
"We would be able to attract more high quality bariatric surgeons to work for the Trust as well as lots of research opportunities and really put Shropshire on the map for these kinds of procedures. Longer-term, and if we can treat a higher number of patients each year, we could potentially offer a fellowship to support people about to become consultants."
Bariatric surgery is offered to patients, following a referral from their GP, who have a Body Mass Index (BMI) over 40 or a BMI over 35 with weight related health problems.
