New Cross Hospital in line for cash boost to help cope with extra Telford patients
A hospital could receive a funding boost to help it cope with an influx of patients due to the overnight closure of an A&E department 20 miles away.
New Cross Hospital in Wolverhampton could be compensated to help it manage an increase in patients coming from Telford.
Shrewsbury and Telford NHS Trust, which runs the Princess Royal Hospital in Telford, has revealed it will have to pay out around £3.5m to mitigate the impact on New Cross in Wolverhampton and Royal Stoke, where patients will be diverted.
Concerns have been raised the extra patients coming from Shropshire will put added strain on New Cross.
It was recently revealed that one in six patients wait longer than four hours at Wolverhampton’s A&E unit, which is already under increased strain due to taking extra patients from Stafford’s County Hospital.
Bosses at the Wolverhampton hospital said it was not yet clear how much money the hospital would receive but that discussions were ongoing with health officials.
Shropshire NHS chiefs have revealed they are set to lose £3.5m as a result of the A&E closure but it is not yet clear how much money will go to New Cross. The A&E is due to close overnight for at least six months due to a staff shortage.
The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust, which runs New Cross, said it was drawing up and emergency plan to ensure staff will be able to cope with the increase in patients.
A spokeswoman said: “Suspending overnight A&E services at the Princess Royal Hospital (PRH) in Telford will clearly have an impact on the Emergency Department at New Cross Hospital.
“Our first priority is that our staff are fully supported. As discussed at SATH’s Trust Board, we will work with SATH, the West Midlands Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust, and the surrounding organisations on a comprehensive plan before an ambulance divert is implemented.”
The Shrewsbury and Telford trust has voted to press ahead with the department's closure, a decision which has sparked major concern and a petition being signed by almost 20,000 people.
Wolverhampton MP Pat McFadden has called for the plan to be ditched over fears it could push the city's hospital towards breaking point.