Future Fit: A&E recommendation rubber stamped
Health officials have confirmed their choice of Royal Shrewsbury Hospital as the preferred location for the county's only A&E department.
The move, taken by the Future Fit programme board, rubber stamps the recommendation ahead of a vote on the plans, which will take place on January 29.
The board meeting, which was held on Wednesday, approved all documentation relating to Future Fit, including the decision making business case – which includes the preferred options, as also agreed by both Telford & Wrekin and Shropshire clinical commissioning groups.
Future Fit is a plan to reorganise the county's major hospitals, Royal Shrewsbury Hospital and Princess Royal Hospital in Telford.
Under the proposals one of the sites will become home to the county's only A&E department, while the other will take on responsibility for planned care.
Officials are recommending that RSH is the base for A&E – the 'emergency centre' in official terminology.
Wednesday's meeting also formally approved and agreed to publish three remaining documents relating to the plans – the travel and transport report, the travel and transport mitigation plan, and the ORH ambulance modelling report.
Transport
The travel and transport report outlines the plans to minimise the potential impact on public, community and non-emergency transport and travel resulting from both of the Future Fit options under consideration.
The ambulance modelling report, which was undertaken by an independent consultancy, Operational Research in Health Ltd (ORH), looks at what impact both options would have on ambulance services, including travel times.
These documents are available on the website nhsfuturefit.org
The programme board, which has faced criticism from health campaigners over not publishing the decision making business case, has also confirmed it will be made available prior to the joint committee meeting on January 29.
See also:
The Future Fit Programme Board includes representatives from the CCGs, Powys Teaching Health Board, NHS England, Telford & Wrekin and Shropshire Councils and includes observers from Healthwatch, Powys Community Health Council, the Joint Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee and patient representatives.
David Evans, chief officer at NHS Telford & Wrekin CCG said: “I would like to thank members of the Future Fit Programme Board for their hard work over the last few years. This has been an extensive, but essential programme of work, during which members have provided valuable input at every stage and guided us through a complex process.”
Dr Simon Freeman, accountable officer for NHS Shropshire CCG said: “We are pleased to be able to approve the remaining documents, including the decision making business case. The CCGs have delegated authority to the Joint Committee to make this important decision on behalf of the CCGs and the people of Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin and mid Wales.”
The Joint Committee meeting will be held in public at 6.30pm on Tuesday, January 29, at Harper Adams University, Newport.
It will also be live streamed via a webcast that can be accessed at nhsfuturefit.org
