£28 million Children’s Centre on target for September opening

The state-of-the-art Shropshire Women and Children’s Centre will open at the Princess Royal Hospital (PRH) in Telford.

It will be the main centre providing care for women and children for Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin and mid Wales. The facility will be for:

- Women who need a consultant-led birth
- Gynaecology services where you have to stay overnight
- Children who need to stay overnight
- Children’s Oncology and Haematology care
- Babies who need intensive and special care

Cathy Smith, Women and Children’s Care Group Director and Head of Midwifery at The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust, said:

“The Shropshire Women and Children’s Centre will be an excellent facility for the region. Thousands of women and children over the years will benefit from this centre and we’re looking forward to it opening in September.”

Part of the building is already being used as the Children's ward which moved into part of the building last month. It is the only part of the building which is open, with the rest of the building opening on 29 and 30 September.

Sister Rachel Triggs, Children’s Ward Manager at the PRH, said the move had gone well. She said:

“As far as patient care goes, nothing has changed. We are still offering the same high level of service that we have always offered. The play area is excellent and the garden room is a lovely area. The staff are very happy at being in the new environment, which offers a much bigger area.”

Whilst Women and Children’s Services are changing, most people accessing the service will continue to go to the same hospital as they do now. Shrewsbury's RSH was intended to have its own Women’s and Children’s Zones, but while the county-wide review of health services continues, plans have been put on hold.