Shropshire hospital completes latest A&E improvements
Improved facilities have opened at Shrewsbury's A&E as part of the refurbishment of its Emergency Department.
Shrewsbury & Telford Hospital NHS Trust (SaTH), which manages both Royal Shrewsbury Hospital (RSH) and Princess Royal Hospital in Telford (PRH), said the work at RSH was the third phase of work at the department.
It said the redesigned area now houses what is called 'Ambulatory Majors', and was previously known as 'Fit to Sit'.
The area providing assessment and treatment for patients who are stable, able to walk, and do not require an overnight stay.
SaTH said the new purpose-built space offers a "more efficient and comfortable environment" and separates ambulatory patients from those with more serious conditions, helping to reduce congestion and support better patient flow.
Work on the next phase of the refurbishment continues.
Construction of a new waiting room and associated areas is underway and scheduled for completion this summer, aimed at further improving the arrival experience for patients and families.
The work is part of a major £312m 'hospital transformation process' (HTP) overhaul of SaTH's services, which will see RSH become home to the county's only A&E department, and will also take over women and children's services from PRH.
PRH will in-turn become the centre of planned care for the county.
The trust said that plans are advancing for the dedicated children’s emergency care footprint at the Shrewsbury site, due to complete in 2027.
The project involves relocating the modular building at the front of emergency department towards the end of April 2026 to create a separate, child-friendly environment for young patients needing emergency care.
Mr Subramanian Kumaran, Emergency Care Consultant and Clinical Lead for Emergency Care for HTP, said: “This next phase means we are one step closer to having the clinical space needed to provide a purpose-built department with care delivered in the most suitable setting for patients. For staff, it provides modern clinical space that supports safe, high-quality care and ongoing service improvements.
“I would like to thank all colleagues involved in making this development possible, and to emergency care teams for their continued professionalism and patience while working alongside construction.”
The full redevelopment of the ED, set for completion in 2027, is a central part of the HTP project.
The trust said that when complete, the transformation will provide enhanced clinical areas, improved patient flow and modern facilities that better meet the growing demand for urgent and emergency care.
Matthew Neal, Director of Hospitals Transformation Programme, said: “We would like to sincerely thank our patients and their families for their patience, understanding and cooperation while these improvement works have been taking place.
“We know that refurbishing a busy ED while continuing to provide care can sometimes mean noise and temporary changes to layouts. Our community’s support throughout this construction period has been greatly appreciated.
“We recognise some of our patients are experiencing long waiting times within our EDs. We are working on a number of improvements alongside this refurbishment to provide more comfortable and more efficient care for everyone who needs our emergency care services.”
Work will be carried out on in phases and is expected to be completed in 2027.
The Emergency Department (A&E) will be open throughout the work and people are asked to continue to access services as they currently do.
