Shropshire's hospitals miss 18-week target

It is estimated that by the end of the month the trust controlling Shropshire's two main hospitals will have 2,515 patients who have waited more than 18 weeks for treatment. The national requirement is to ensure the number of patients waiting for longer than 18 weeks for treatment does not exceed eight per cent of the total number on the waiting list.

The trust's own predictions show that by March 31 it will have a total waiting list of 20,574 patients. Of this, 2,515 will exceed the 18-week threshold, which represents 12 per cent.

Health bosses have said Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust, which manages both Royal Shrewsbury Hospital and Princess Royal Hospital Telford, has consistently struggled to meet the target this year.

Officials say they have developed a plan to reduce the backlog.

In a paper due to be discussed at a meeting of the trust in Shrewsbury on Thursday, it says that to reduce waiting times bosses plan to introduce new initiatives, additional theatre sessions and consider outsourcing.

The cost of increased capacity is expected to be £3.3 million and officials say they hope to achieve the 18-week target by November.

The paper also says that the trust has a shortfall of 99 registered nurses – leading to a reliance on agency staff.

It states: "Despite extensive recruitment activities, this gap has remained fairly constant for the last three years and has consistently been filled with agency nurses.

"It is evidenced that high levels of agency nurses impact on patients' length of stay and substantive staff morale; it also impacts on the trust's financial position and impacts on the delivery of the National Agency Cap.

"Managing the availability and capacity of the trust's medical staff will continue to be a focus for 2017/18."

The trust is now expecting to record a year-end deficit of £7.4 million – missing its target by £1.5 million.

However in regards to cancer services at RSH and PRH, the trust said it is one of a small number of trusts, which consistently delivers national access targets.

The paper states: "Cancer services within the trust consistently deliver to a high standard. Clinical outcomes for both care and treatment are amongst the best in the country. During the 2016/17 financial year the trust was one of a small number of acute trusts, who consistently delivered national access targets."

A&E has busiest day of year

Almost 390 people visited Shropshire's two main A&E departments at the start of the week – their busiest day of the year so far.

Hospital officials said Monday saw 383 people visiting Shropshire's two main A&E departments at Royal Shrewsbury Hospital and Princess Royal Hospital Telford.

The government sets targets for every hospital in the country to see 95 per cent of patients in less than four hours.

In February 75.8 per cent of patients at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital and Telford's Princess Royal Hospital were dealt with in the time period, according to figures due to be presented to the board of Shrewsbury and Telford Hospitals NHS Trust on Thursday.

The figures also revealed there were 1,077patients who waited more than four hours from decision to admission in February.

The latest figures have prompted officials to repeat calls for people to stay away from the emergency departments unless they have a genuine emergency. Sara Biffen, deputy chief operating officer at Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust, has previously said: "We know that for some, a journey to A&E is essential, but we also know there are many people who do not need the specialist care that our A&Es provide.

"Once again we would ask people to please think carefully about alternative local services.

"These do not provide less of a service for non-urgent conditions, but can help people avoid a lengthy and stressful visit to hospital."

The A&E pressure comes amid continuing controversy about the stalled Future Fit review and the wish of hospital bosses for a single specialist A&E at RSH.