Mixed views on site for Shrewsbury blood service
Mixed views have been received as to whether a blood collection service should return to Shrewsbury town centre.
But the public will ultimately decide, the boss of Shropshire's two main hospitals has said.
Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust (SaTH) stopped the service based in Princess House in April.
The contract with Shropshire Community Health NHS Trust to use a room within Princess House came to an end, due to what the hospital trust said were “unexpected costs”.
It was relocated to Elizabeth House based at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital, which already provides walk-in phlebotomy clinics.
But SaTH launched an engagement process, asking whether people were happy with the move or whether they wanted it to return to a town centre premises.
Simon Wright, chief executive of SaTH, says the views have been mixed and people's feedback is being gathered.
He said in the initial stages it looked as if many people were favouring the service returning to Shrewsbury town centre.
But Mr Wright said an increasing number of patients then expressed a preference towards the hospital location.
He said the trust aims to make a decision based on what the public wants.
Mr Wright said: "Our view is we will go with what the majority of people ask.
"The public will determine whether we provide that service on site or off site."
Surveys
SaTH has been handing out surveys to patients using Elizabeth House to gauge their preferences.
Health bosses previously revealed Shropshire Council had also offered the service a space in a vacant shop at the Darwin Shopping Centre.
Shropshire Council bought the Darwin and Pride Hill centres earlier this year and are currently deciding what to do with them in the future.
Feedback to the surveys last month showed 53.5 per cent of patients wanting to see the service on the top floor of Princess House, while 33.5 per cent wanted to be able to have their blood taken at their own GP surgery.
A further 16.8 per cent said they wanted it to return to another ground-floor town centre location, 3.2 per cent said a nearby GP and 29 per cent said it should continue solely at Elizabeth House.
The town-centre location allowed phlebotomy services to be provided to about 300 patients a week.
That included morning appointments for Riverside and Claremont Bank GP Practices, as well as an afternoon walk-in service for all Shropshire GP patients.
SaTH previously said that the two GP surgeries are unable to accommodate the service.
