Future Fit: More than 1,000 have had say on Shropshire health shake-up
More than 1,000 people have now filled in surveys to give their views on the controversial Future Fit plans.
A public consultation, asking for views on two options which will affect the future of Shropshire's hospital services, got under way on May 30.
Nearly 500 people attended the first four public exhibitions in Telford, Shrewsbury, Newtown and Ludlow.
More than 400 people have also attended pop-up displays in community venues, public spaces and events, such as Oakengates Carnival.
Pam Schreier, who is the communications and engagement lead for the Future Fit programme, revealed the figures to Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust's board at a meeting yesterday.
She updated board members on the progress so far.
People are able to fill out surveys online, post them for free or fill them out at the public exhibition events.
Twitter chats have also allowed people to ask questions to Mark Cheetham, a surgeon at SaTH.
Future Fit:
Ms Schreier said key issues that have been raised have focussed around travel and patient safety, increased pressure on ambulance services, affordability and how the urgent care centres will operate.
There will be a mid-point review in the consultation next week.
A report to the board said: "This will enable the team to review and reflect on progress and process with a formal report submitted to the July programme board and a joint health overview and scrutiny committee."
The consultation is due to run until midnight on September 4.
The next exhibitions take place at Wellington Methodist Church, in New Street, on Wednesday; Bridgnorth Leisure Centre on July 25; The Festival Drayton Centre, in Frogmore Road, Market Drayton, on August 2 and Cabin Lane Church in Oswestry on August 15.
The preferred Future Fit option put forward by Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin Clinical Commissioning Groups sites a single emergency department for the county at Royal Shrewsbury Hospital.
Under that model, Telford’s Princess Royal Hospital would take on responsibility for providing planned care.
The second option would be for PRH to house Shropshire’s emergency department and for RSH to become the planned care site.
Both hospitals would have an urgent care centre that would be open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Consultant-led women and children’s services would be on the same site as the emergency department, with a range of women and children’s services available on the other site.
The consultation documents and details of upcoming events are available at nhsfuturefit.org
