Shropshire Star

NHS bosses to meet over night-time Telford A&E closure plan

The planned night-time closure of Telford's A&E will need to signed off by health commissioners and NHS regulators before it can go ahead.

Published
Protesters marching this month against the overnight closure plan

Health bosses will meet with representatives from NHS Improvement in Birmingham tomorrow to work through the details of how an overnight closure would work, Shropshire Clinical Commissioning Group's governing body has heard.

Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust is planning to bring in the closure of A&E at Princess Royal Hospital, between 10pm and 8am, from December 5 if additional staff cannot be found.

There are currently shortages of A&E consultants, nurses and middle grade doctors.

A report put before Shropshire CCG's board yesterday said the decision to close the department overnight has been supported by the West Midlands Clinical Senate.

Regional

Clinical senates have been established to be a source of independent, strategic advice and guidance to commissioners to assist them to make the best decisions about healthcare for the populations they represent.

The report continued: "The final sign off for the pathways will be via a triple lock approach across the wider regional system."

Julie Davies, director of performance and delivery at the CCG, said this would involve the details of the plans being signed off by neighbouring trusts impacted by the closure, health commissioners, NHS England and NHS Improvement.

She said a meeting is expected to take place tomorrow with NHS Improvement to walk through the 'pathways' which would need to be put in place.

Ms Davies said there would need to be 'complete assurance of all partners around the table' for the overnight closure of Telford's A&E to go ahead.

Bosses at Sath say they have been exploring every possible option to try and avoid the closure, and the decision would be reversed if the trust can secure the staff it needs.