Future Fit consultation moves a step closer and CCG budget approved
The launch of the Future Fit public consultation has moved one step closer after getting approval from health commissioners in Shropshire.
Shropshire Clinical Commissioning Group's (CCG) governance board signed off on minor amendments to the consultation documents yesterday and agreed that the 14-week consultation should launch on May 30.
But Telford & Wrekin CCG's governing body is yet to give the final nod, after members called for the consultation documents to be tweaked on Tuesday.
An extraordinary meeting is due to take place tomorrow when Telford & Wrekin CCG's board will make the final decision on whether or not the public consultation will start at the end of the month.
The process will decide where a single emergency centre for the county will be based.
Dr Jessica Sokolov, a GP and clinical director of women’s and children’s services, told Shropshire CCG's board yesterday: "This is really exciting. "We've waited a long time to get to this point.
"It's exactly the right time to take it to the public to find out what they think."
Eight public exhibitions and more than 50 pop-up events are expected to be staged during the public consultation.
A survey will also be available and a new Future Fit website will launch, allowing people to access the consultation documents and view details of events and meetings.
The public consultation will include two options.
The preferred Future Fit option, which has been signed off by both CCGs, is for the county's emergency centre to be based at Royal Shrewsbury Hospital (RSH) and Telford’s Princess Royal Hospital (PRH) to take on responsibility for planned care.
It would be supported by two urgent care centres, based at RSH and PRH.
The second option would be for PRH to house Shropshire’s emergency department and for RSH to become a planned care site.
At the meeting of Shropshire CCG's governance board, members also signed off its budget plan for 2018/19.
The CCG will have to end the year with a deficit of no more than £13.3 million in order to get a financial reprieve.
If it meets the target, it will get £13.3m from a commissioner support fund to offset that year’s debt.
Presenting the budget plan, Claire Skidmore, chief finance officer, said: "This isn't an easy task. "I recognise the challenges we have as an organisation but it is a reasonable plan. It is a judgement based on facts and evidence."
Shropshire CCG entered the current financial year with a deficit of more than £50 million.
