NHS England: There is 'little confidence' in plan for future of Shropshire's healthcare
NHS England has said there is "little confidence" in a plan for the future of the county's healthcare – a leaked letter has revealed.
In a damning verdict on Shropshire's Sustainability and Transformation Plan (STP) NHS England says it is worried the finances behind the plan, which includes the Future Fit hospital review, do not stack up.
It comes only a week after the draft version of the plan was released.
The leaders of Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin Council have also issued a stinging judgment on the document – and last night Telford & Wrekin councillors unanimously backed taking legal action if plans to create a single A&E unit at Shrewsbury go ahead.
Shropshire leader Malcolm Pate said: "I recognise that in an attempt to meet unrealistic deadlines to submit the STP, essential steps have been missed out and not enough work and thought has gone into making the STP document stack up.
"It was absolutely right that both councils pointed out obvious flaws both before and after the STP was submitted."
NHS England's letter says the plan does not address big deficits at Shropshire's Clinical Commissioning Group, nor how the estimated £270 million cost of the changes will be paid for. The organisation also said it is concerned Shropshire CCG does not have a credible financial recovery plan.
In the letter to the STP's lead Simon Wright, NHS England states: "Regionally there is little confidence in the STP as the basis for operational planning. This is specifically because it does not address the CCG deficit position." Mr Wright said he welcomed the concerns raised and added the plan is a "working document and should not be seen as the finished article".
Councillor Shaun Davies, leader of Telford & Wrekin Council, said: "We agree local health services need to evolve but what is outlined in the STP is simply not realistic."
An extraordinary meeting of Telford & Wrekin councillors voted unanimously to seek a judicial review if plans to create a single A&E unit at Shrewsbury, and close the women's and children's unit at Telford's Princess Royal Hospital, forge ahead.
The Shropshire Star's Deborah Hardiman reported from the meeting. See her updates below:
