Talks progress on Shropshire's neurology service
A major neurology hospital in Liverpool could send its staff to Shropshire to provide three clinics a week in the north of the county, a new report has revealed.
Shropshire's neurology service had to temporarily close to new referrals last year, with health bosses saying they were unable to manage demand due to staffing difficulties.
Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust (SaTH) has been involved in talks with the Walton Centre in the hopes it can offer an outreach service in the county.
A report to SaTH's board, which meets tomorrow, said the Walton Centre has confirmed it is prepared to sign an agreement to offer three clinics per week, 42 weeks out of the year, as a minimum.
However, the report says the centre has advised it cannot commit to six clinics a week in the second year due to staffing levels.
In a report, Carol McInnes, assistant chief operating officer for unscheduled care at SaTH, said: "The Walton Centre have also advised they would only want to deliver activity in the north of the county eg, Oswestry or Whitchurch.
"The Walton would also like all activity undertaken at Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital (RJAH) to fall under one contract, a meeting is scheduled with RJAH and commissioners, w/c 16 April to understand how to progress this and any implications this may have on contract values.
"As the capacity offer from the Walton Centre covers a quarter of that required by SaTH, and only in the north of the county, discussions are being commenced with University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust (UHB) and University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust (UHNM) to understand any support they may now be able to offer."
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Simon Wright, chief executive of SaTH, said the trust was looking to partner with a number of organisations to provide the right level of cover and was keen to "lock-down" an agreement with the Walton Centre.
Neurology services treat conditions affecting the nervous system, including the brain, spinal cord, nerve, muscles and their connections.
Last March, Shropshire patients who were referred to see a neurology specialist were told they would have to travel to Wolverhampton.
The trust said at that point in time 500 people were on the waiting list.
To help meet the demand for referrals, Shropshire and Telford Clinical Commissioning Groups arranged for The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust to temporarily provide the service for new patients.
Speaking in March last year, Ms McInnes said: “The temporary suspension of neurology services to new referrals is not a decision we have taken lightly.
"The service has been under considerable pressure due to workforce constraints for some time.
"This is purely a short-term move and the operational team is fully committed to developing a sustainable solution for the service.”
