Shropshire Star

Future Fit: What are the options?

Two options are being put forward as part of the Future Fit consultation process.

Published
Last updated
Princess Royal Hospital, Telford, left, and Shrewsbury Royal Hospital

Both would involve a single emergency centre serving the whole of Shropshire.

The question being asked is whether it should be based in either Shrewsbury or Telford.

These are the options:

Option one: The county’s emergency centre would be based at Royal Shrewsbury Hospital. Telford’s Princess Royal Hospital would take on responsibility for planned care. It would be supported by two urgent care centres, based at RSH and PRH.

Option two: Princess Royal Hospital would house an emergency department and Royal Shrewsbury Hospital would become a planned care site. It would be supported by two urgent care centres, based at RSH and PRH.

NHS bosses in our region have already expressed a preference for the first option, which would see RSH house the emergency centre. That option has been signed off by both Telford and Shropshire CCGs.

The Government has given £312 million in funding to make the reorganisation a reality.

NHS bosses say doing nothing is not an option.

They say it has become difficult to make sure that it has enough doctors, nurses and other healthcare staff to provide services 24-hours a day, seven days a week at both hospitals.

They claim a local and national shortage of doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals has led to difficulties in recruiting. This has placed increasing pressure on doctors and nurses and some have left to take up jobs at other hospitals where they can enjoy a better work/life balance.

The new single emergency centre would deal with the most serious cases. The majority of people now attending A&E would be cared for at an urgent care centre, taking pressure off staff dealing with life-threatening admissions.

An early ‘long list’ of options included the possibility of a brand new hospital on the M54 corridor between Telford and Shrewsbury. But that was dismissed as being too expensive and creating access difficulties for staff and patients.

Where can I have my say?

The consultation documents and details of how people can have a say are available at nhsfuturefit.org

Public exhibition events will be open from 3.30pm to 7.30pm at the following locations:

June 7: Shrewsbury Football Club, Oteley Road, Shrewsbury SY2 6ST

June 28: Elephant and Castle Hotel, Broad Street, Newtown SY16 2BQ

July 4: Bishop Mascall Centre, Lower Galdeford, Ludlow SY8 1RZ

July 11: Methodist Church, New Street, Wellington, Telford TF1 1LU

July 25: Bridgnorth Leisure Centre, Northgate, Bridgnorth WV16 4ER

August 2: The Festival Drayton Centre, Frogmore Road, Market Drayton TF9 3AX

August 15: Cabin Lane Church, Cabin Lane, Oswestry SY11 2LQ