Time for action over Future Fit, says Shropshire health boss
The time for talking is over and Future Fit needs to be settled for the good of NHS services in Shropshire.
That is the message from the chairman of the county’s hospitals, who says it would be a “tragedy” if more delays placed a windfall in jeopardy.
Health commissioners are expected to reach a decision on the controversial Future Fit plans by next month – five years after the process launched.
Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin Clinical Commissioning Groups want to separate emergency and planned care in the county and a crunch meeting to sign off on a final plan is due to be held in the coming weeks.
The plans, which have come under fire from health campaigners, involve siting a single emergency centre for Shropshire in Shrewsbury or Telford.
Ben Reid, chairman of Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust, says a decision is needed so that the transformation can begin and funding for the scheme is not put in jeopardy.
Up to £312 million has been earmarked for the proposed changes to take place.
Mr Reid said: "The decision around Future Fit needs to be made. We are not going to satisfy probably 50 per cent of our audience but from where I am now we just need a decision.
"We need to get on and move. We shouldn't put at risk the capital - the capital sitting there for us at the moment.
Tragedy
"If it looks like we can't spend it then somebody else will spend it.
"There are plenty of people behind us in the queue so it would be a complete tragedy if we spent 2019 without a decision and they allocated that money somewhere else."
Mr Reid said the scheme will help to create first-class healthcare facilities in Telford and Shrewsbury and a decision could also help lift morale among staff.
"We will go through the services we are providing and upgrade all aspects of it," he said.
"The lack of investment in equipment has been significant on both of the sites.
"It isn't just going to be about new buildings. We need to make sure we put in them the right number of people with the right equipment."
The CCGs’ preferred option is for the emergency centre to be based at Royal Shrewsbury Hospital and for Princess Royal Hospital in Telford to take on responsibility for planned care.
But from the 18,742 surveys received during the consultation process, 65 per cent said they “strongly disagreed” or “disagreed” with this option, with the majority being from the Telford and Wrekin area.
A total of 31 per cent of all respondents “strongly agreed” or “agreed” with option one.
The CCGs plans involve setting up urgent care centres at both hospitals.
