Shropshire Star

Shrewsbury health hub row: Chiefs 'reviewing more options' as consultation is delayed

Health bosses have said they are 'reviewing additional options' after postponing a consultation on controversial plans to merge six Shrewsbury doctors' practices.

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Shrewsbury Health and Wellbeing Hub - a proposal which involves moving six GP practices into a new 'super hub' - has sparked protests over concerns about transport, access and staffing.

Meole councillor Bernie Bentick said in a Shrewsbury Town Council meeting that the consultation had been postponed for an unspecified period, and he believed it was down to "public outrage".

Now a health boss has has his say on why the consultation has been delayed.

Gareth Robinson, director of delivery and transformation for NHS Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin, said: “The original time frame for the public consultation was part of our indicative planning which suggested October would be the most appropriate time to carry out this consultation. As any programme of this scale develops, these time frames may change.

“Based on the insight we have gained from the early listening exercises, and the learning we have taken from developing the existing options, we have determined that an additional review of available options is completed.

“This will allow further stakeholder engagement in that process and consider if any new alternatives are available. We will schedule the formal consultation process, in line with best practice, once the options appraisal has been completed.”

NHS Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin bosses have said the project would represent significant investment in GP services in Shrewsbury. It would be financed by NHS England and could open in summer 2025. Land in Oteley Road near Shrewsbury Town FC's stadium was named as the preferred location. The move would affect 45,000 patients.

After the council meeting on Monday, in which councillors also unanimously backed a motion for an "extraordinary public meeting" on the health hub to get health chiefs "face to face" with the public, Mr Bentick said: “This is a small victory for everyone who has been campaigning against the imposition of a health hub.

“I have had large numbers of Shrewsbury residents expressing deep concern over the planned health and wellbeing hub and I welcome the pause in the formal consultation, while all the necessary engagement processes, documents and reports are completed and published.

"This will ensure that all relevant factors are adequately considered before actions are taken. It is vital that all patients of the affected practices receive enough information about the health hub plans, along with alternative options, so that everyone can make their views known before we reach the point of no return.

“There is cross-party support for retaining as many of the existing locations for practices as possible, to maintain a truly local GP service."