Future Fit bosses renew recommendation for Shrewsbury A&E
A&E services in Shropshire should be based at Shrewsbury, health bosses have confirmed amid concerns that current services are proving “increasingly difficult” to provide.
During a meeting of the NHS Future Fit Programme Board, members renewed their recommendation that an emergency centre should be based at Royal Shrewsbury Hospital, while the majority of day case surgery should be carried out at Telford’s Princess Royal Hospital.
The announcement comes more than eight months after the board originally made the same recommendation.
An independent review carried out since then has ruled the way the process was carried out was correct.
The recommended plans – as well as proposals that would see an emergency services centre at Telford – will go to public consultation once Future Fit is given the go-ahead from NHS England.
David Evans, joint senior responsible officer for NHS Future Fit, said: “The board decided that the material given to them in the independent report did not impact on their original decision.
"It fundamentally said the way we carried out the process was correct. There was some minor alterations but nothing that fundamentally altered the process.
“This process is about improving the way health services are delivered for the population and the way that better clinical outcomes are delivered.
"We have to move forward with making a decision because the services that are currently provided are proving increasingly difficult for the acute trust to do.
“We had some stakeholders on the programme board who had concerns about the outcome of the option appraisal.
"It was right that we listened to those concerns and commissioned the independent review. We’re pleased the review shows there is no material significance and fundamentally the process was the right process to follow.”
Simon Freeman, accountable officer for Shropshire Clinical Commissioning Group, said that it was important to stress that this was not a final decision.
“We believe strongly that ‘no change’ is not an option if we are to provide safe and sustainable hospitals,” he said.
“The broad consensus during the meeting was that there is nothing in the independent reports that materially affects the decision to go to public consultations.
“It is important to note that this is not a final decision, but a recommendation to go to public consultation to gather views across Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin and Powys on the proposals.”
Bosses are aiming to launch the process between the end of September and the middle of October if the go-ahead is given. The consultation period will last 12 weeks.
