Shropshire hospitals to get more than 50 new beds in preparation for winter pressure
More than 50 new beds are to be added at two of the county's hospitals as part of a bid to prepare for the pressures of the oncoming winter.
NHS Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin has said a total of 52 new beds will be split across Shrewsbury & Telford Hospital NHS sites – Princess Royal Hospital (PRH) at Telford and Royal Shrewsbury Hospital (RSH).
Alison Bussey, chief nursing officer for NHS Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin, said that the beds will be used for patients who require therapy and rehabilitation before they are able to go home.
That will include patients who may be recovering from a stroke, broken hips, or some frail elderly people.
The move is designed to free up acute bed space at the hospitals, which are required to help treat people who are seriously ill.
It is seen as a vital move to reduce pressure on the hospitals, which face a significant increase in demand throughout the winter.
A briefing from NHS Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin, said: "The additional beds will be a fundamental element of ongoing resilience within Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin as well as an integral part of winter capacity planning."
The split will see 20 beds at RSH, using space already onsite, along with 32 at PRH in a modular ward.
Simon Whitehouse, chief executive of NHS Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin, said that the drive would still be to get patients home and out of hospital as soon as possible.
He said: "Getting you out of hospital as quickly as possible is the drive full-stop, regardless. If you do not need to be in these beds and we can get you home sooner then absolutely that is the best place for you."
Patricia Davies, the CEO of Shropshire Community Health NHS Trust, echoed that ambition, saying: "The first question we are asking is 'can they go home, can we provide those services at home?'"
