Future Fit: Pre-planning discussions over Shropshire hospitals revamp confirmed

The discussions are needed ahead of the submission of a full planning application for construction work required as part of the £312m Hospital Transformation Programme (HTP) proposals.

The long-delayed revamp of Shropshire's hospital services provided by Shrewsbury & Telford Hospital NHS Trust (SaTH), at Princess Royal Hospital in Telford (PRH) and Royal Shrewsbury Hospital (RSH) has reached its furthest stage yet.

Health bosses have confirmed that the 'outline business case' (OBC) for the work is due to be submitted in summer, with Dr Ed Rysdale, an emergency medicine consultant at SaTH, and the clinical director of the hospital transformation programme at the trust, saying they are "on track" for where they should be.

Earlier this week the Deputy Prime Minister, Oliver Dowden, said the Government and NHS were ready to work "at pace" to review the OBC when it is submitted.

Once that is approved the trust will then have to submit a full business case, which will again need approval before work can start.

The trust has said it hopes to start work at the beginning of next year.

The latest developments have seen confirmation that the trust is in talks with Shropshire Council over its plans for changes at RSH.

The trust will need to submit a planning application for construction work needed for the development, and the discussions come ahead of the formal submission of a planning application.

This week Dr Rysdale spoke of the importance of progress on the scheme, and the support of a "system-wide solution" – describing the current system as "not working".

The Future Fit plans have been in development for a number of years, and have faced repeated delays since the county was awarded £312m to carry out the work.

They will see major changes to which services are provided at either hospital.

Under the plan RSH becomes the centre for emergency care, while PRH becomes the focus of planned care.

It would see RSH become home to the county's only 24-hour full A&E unit – currently both hospitals have them, but they have faced huge difficulties in meeting waiting targets.

Dr Rysdale said the changes are needed to provide better care – and retain and recruit staff to do so.

He said: "The system is not working and cannot carry on as it is now."

Dr Rysdale also warned that delays to the programme would cause potential problems for the trust – with staff having joined with the expectation that the changes will go ahead.

He said: "I think if it was seen to be paused for a significant amount of time it would really create problems because we have recruited on the back of it and people want to work in a system that works."