New Ludlow hospital takes major step forward

The full business case sets out the financial details and key milestones for the project, which will provide a state of the art community hospital serving people from Ludlow and across south west Shropshire.

The new hospital will provide 36 inpatient beds, co-located carers’ suite, outpatient clinics, an imaging suite, medical day case centre and enhanced procedures suite for minor surgery and endoscopy, as well as a healthy living centre.

There will also be a midwifery led unit, two independent GP surgeries and a base for administrative staff.

Some 25 members of the public attended the board meeting, with everyone who spoke voicing strong support for the development to go ahead. The board also heard that letters of support had been received from members of the public.

Shropshire County Primary Care Trust, as commissioners of the service, will consider the full business case at their meeting on Tuesday, May 22 at Oscars, Ludlow, at 1.30pm. Subject to their agreement, the business case will then be submitted to the Strategic Health Authority for their decision on May 24 as the final approvers.

Jo Chambers, chief executive of Shropshire Community NHS Trust, said: “I am delighted that we are continuing to move forward with this scheme which offers a great opportunity to provide a 21st century healthcare facility for patients, especially in the current challenging economic climate.

“The project will provide a host of new services which will mean people no longer have to travel further afield to Shrewsbury or Hereford, for example chemotherapy is planned to be provided for the first time, alongside types of X-ray and imaging, chemotherapy, surgical day case procedures and a variety of outpatient clinics. The hospital offers an opportunity for nursing and other health professionals to work more closely with GPs to help transform health care services so they can best meet the needs of our ageing population.

“This business case is the outcome of six years of interested local groups and the NHS working closely together – for example through the Ludlow Health Forum meetings. This is a fantastic chance for people in South West Shropshire to get the health facilities they deserve.

Ludlow MP Philip Dunne said: “This is great news: another significant step forward on the long march to delivering 21st century healthcare to South Shropshire. Over 1,000 local residents have signed the petition launched a couple weeks ago to show their support for these plans."

Jo Chambers added: “The Board is aware of the genuine concerns that some Ludlow residents who currently walk to their GP practices have at the prospect of the surgeries moving to the outskirts of town, and we will continue to work with the PCT and others to help address those issues.

“There is a bus service linking all parts of the town to the Eco Park, and we welcome the work that the Council and others are doing to improve the travel options still further. Our community nurses are also working with the GPs to make sure that people who are housebound or immobile can be visited at home.

“Sometimes with a major scheme like this, it’s not possible to accommodate everyone’s different preferences, but we believe these plans benefit the vast majority of people from Ludlow and south west Shropshire who are served by the local NHS, with many people finding it easier to use the new health facility with its ample parking,” she added.