Shropshire Star

Ludlow hospital and GP shake-up claims

Ludlow Hospital, GPs and health services could be co-located on a single site to serve south Shropshire and it could lead to a cut in beds and services, a health campaigner has claimed.

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Gill George, chairwoman of Shropshire Defend Our NHS, says the plans are outlined in Shropshire Council's Place Plan for Ludlow and the surrounding area.

The draft plans for 2019/20 say a list of possible projects have been identified, with one of them suggesting the co-location of Ludlow Hospital, GPs and other health services to a single site to serve the south of the county.

Health commissioners say they have been actively talking to the council about a number of estate projects, but denied that there had been any discussions around Ludlow at the moment.

But Ms George, who lives in Ludlow, says the proposal exists in the draft Place Plan and she fears planned savings which Shropshire Clinical Commissioning Group needs to find will lead to cuts in beds and services.

She said: "Shropshire CCG is planning £5m cuts to community hospital services across Shropshire, as part of £12.5m cuts to community NHS services.

"Any new plan for Ludlow Community Hospital will almost certainly be about the loss of beds and services.

"The bottom line is that we need Ludlow Hospital, just as we need all our community hospitals.

Warned

"It makes far more sense for people to be cared for in a bed in their own community when that’s medically possible, not taken 30 miles away to Shrewsbury.

"You also can’t expect people from Ludlow and south Shropshire to do a 60 mile round trip to Shrewsbury for an X-ray, or three times a week for dialysis."

She warned any planned cuts to community hospital services would be met with a 'fierce response', adding: "This is what they need to understand.

"Ludlow Community Hospital is ours – it belongs to the people of Ludlow and south Shropshire.

"If health bosses come after our hospital, they’re taking on the community."

Dr Julian Povey, chairman of Shropshire CCG, said: “We have been actively talking to the council about a number of estate projects, but there has been no discussion around Ludlow.

“Our ambition around care closer to home will see reduced hospital admissions with increased numbers of patients managed in, or close to their home, or in the community, through increased investment in community services.”

Councillor Peter Nutting, leader of Shropshire Council and portfolio holder for strategy, said: "The meeting held in Ludlow on March 21 was specifically set up to discuss the draft Place Plan for Ludlow and the surrounding area and not to discuss health services.

"The meeting was a first opportunity for invited local representatives and was well attended by elected members and town and parish council members who met with Shropshire Council to discuss the draft Place Plan document.

"Once this document has been discussed with local representatives and re-drafted incorporating their comments, it will be shared more widely, including with any interested members of the public.

"Shropshire Council is not responsible for decisions regarding health services such as those located at Ludlow Community Hospital and any discussions around such services are the responsibility of the Shropshire CCG, and local general practitioners. The reference to Ludlow health facilities within the Place Plan states that ‘the CCG will discuss requirements in the area as part of the estates review, which is currently under development'."