Trust board back changes to Shropshire hospital services
After months of discussion, the Full Business Case for the Future Configuration of Hospital Services has received a resounding vote of confidence from The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust Board.
The Board came together for a special meeting yesterday to consider the detailed case for the plans, which are designed to protect services within the county for the foreseeable future. The Full Business Case will now be submitted for approval to NHS Midlands and East the Strategic Health Authority Cluster who will consider it at their Board meeting on 24 May 2012.
As part of the proposed changes, the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital will become the main site for all adult inpatient surgery, whilst a new state-of-the-art Women and Children’s Unit will be built at the Princess Royal Hospital in Telford.
Board members gave the plans their unanimous backing, with chairman Dr John Davies declaring: “These proposals have come after extensive consultation with the public. They will deliver the best possible hospital services for the communities of Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin and mid Wales.”
Doctors, nurses, staff and patients and the public have been heavily involved in the development of the proposed changes including the design and lay-out of the new and refurbished clinical areas and service improvements across the reconfiguring services.
The Joint Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee gave its backing to the plans at a meeting last week with local GP commissioners reviewing the Full Business Case over the coming weeks.
Subject to approval by NHS Midlands and East, building work is planned to get under way in the summer, with all changes implemented by July 2014.
