£27m Shropshire hospital decision due

A deal to secure a new £27 million hospital facility for south Shropshire could finally be approved by health bosses at a key meeting taking place today.

It was revealed on Friday that Shropshire Country Primary Trust and Shropshire Council had agreed a price for land at Ludlow's Eco Business Park, which is the preferred site for the project, but they need the go-ahead from the West Midlands Strategic Health Authority.

The new hospital would replace the town's current hospital in Gravel Hill and include the town's two GP surgeries on the same site.

The SHA was holding a board meeting today and the hospital decision was listed on the agenda for approval.

Papers for the meeting show the number of beds for the proposed new hospital has been increased from 28 to a proposed 36.

The current hospital has 40 beds and the potential loss of beds was a concern for Ludlow Hospital League of Friends, after a ballot showed more than 75 per cent of members wanted the issue negotiating.

Figures released by the PCT under the Freedom of Information Act earlier this year showed four extra beds had to be opened at the current hospital in March, April and May last year and from January 6 to February 17 this year.

The 28-bed figure was part of the outline business case Shropshire PCT submitted to the SHA, which was approved in January.

The new suggestion is for 36 inpatient beds.The plans also include three midwifery unit beds and a delivery room. The papers also recommend scrapping plans to build via Express LIFT, which meant the Government would have selected a developer. The recommendation is for a third party to develop the site.