A third major hospital, probably situated between Telford and Shrewsbury, emerged this week as a serious contender in the future pattern of local health care.
A third major hospital, probably situated between Telford and Shrewsbury, emerged this week as a serious contender in the future pattern of local health care.
It would be an emergency care hospital, essentially a frontline accident and emergency centre and trauma base. No site is yet revealed although attention has previously focussed on the area around Atcham.
The Princess Royal and Royal Shrewsbury hospitals would both remain, but each would develop differing specialities.
The plan is the long term brainchild of a group called the Clinical Leaders’ Forum, a top team of doctors, nurses and medical experts charged with developing a new healthcare strategy for Shropshire.
As such, it revives contentious proposals to split medical specialities between the PRH and RSH, although it neatly avoids one of the biggest causes of argument: Which should be the main accident hospital?
Now this new, centrally located hospital, would adopt that role, leaving the two other hospitals to develop more specialist roles.
The scheme is outlined in an interim report from the Clinical Leaders’ Forum to the Shropshire County and Telford & Wrekin Primary Care Trusts. It went before the boards of both organisations this week.
It is likely to be the autumn before any firm proposals come forward and any major changes would have to go out to consultation. In the meantime, there are no changes to accident and emergency arrangements.
Mr Kieran Larkin from Telford & Wrekin PCT said: “The board yesterday fully endorsed the contents of the interim report of the Clinincal Leaders Forum.
“The next stage is the strategic consultation which will see more detailed options put forward by the forum in consultation with stakeholders, partners and the community.
“We envisage this work will be completed by October,” said Mr Larkin.
A spokesman for Shropshire PCT said: “The interim report was a joint report received by both the Shropshire PCT and Telford & Wrekin PCT at the meeting.
“With regards to the Shropshire PCT, we have received the report for our information, not for the purposes of endorsement or approval.”
The new scheme received a mixed reception from Telford’s two MPs.
David Wright, Telford MP, said: “I am pleased the report indicates accident and emergency presently remaining on both sites and I would want to see children’s services focussed at Telford.
“The idea of a new hospital serving Shrewsbury and Telford is something we can see as a way of tackling the long term issue of emergency care.”
Wrekin MP Mark Pritchard MP said: “These plans would reduce A&E cover in the county from two units to one, it would also reduce the number of paediatric units and take services further away from the main centres of population.
“I think most people will oppose it because it is, in effect, cutting services.”
The MP also confirmed that his petition to save hospital services had been attracting many more names since reports about downgrading the two acute hospitals and building the new A&E and high dependency unit had been rumoured.
