Hospital staff speak of their hopes for the future
Senior hospital staff today spoke of their hopes for the future as health care leaders continue work to address challenges in critical and emergency care to improve patient safety.
The Sustainable Services Programme drawn up by The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust (SaTH) describes Trust plans to address the significant challenges to the safety and sustainability of patient services, specifically in Emergency and Critical Care.
It sets out the reasons why a single site for the county’s Emergency Department is the best way to ensure patients receive safe and dignified care in the right place at the right time and to help the Trust attract the best Doctors, Nurses, Therapists, and other healthcare workers to ensure the service is fit for future generations.
Sarah Bloomfield, Director of Nursing and Quality at SaTH, who has 19-years’ experience as a Nurse, said: “We know there is some concern in the community, which is understandable, but there will be lots of opportunities for people to raise these concerns during the public consultation. We know people are concerned about the possible increase in journey times if we move to a single Emergency Centre, but the majority of our patients will still be seen in the same hospital as they are now, through Urgent Care Centres.
“We are not detached from this process; we are part of the community it will affect. I live in Powys and understand very well the issues around travelling to our different hospitals, but I, and other clinical colleagues, firmly believe that any increased travel time will be offset by better access to the right clinical expertise and facilities every time, resulting in much better outcomes for patients.”
Mr Mark Cheetham, Medical Director for Scheduled Care and a Consultant General and Colorectal Surgeon, added: “Our hospitals already specialise in different areas and this has resulted in better outcomes for our patients, with more people getting faster access to expert clinical opinion than ever before.”
Mr Cheetham, who attended school in Oswestry and now lives in Shrewsbury, has over 23 years’ experience as a doctor. He added: “One Emergency Centre would mean better access to the right people in the right place. My parents and other members of my family live in Shropshire; I would not support anything that I thought might put their safety at risk.”
The Strategic Outline Case (SOC) for the Trust’s Sustainable Services Programme has been supported by both Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin Clinical Commissioning Groups. The SOC is a relatively brief preliminary document which contains information needed to support an informed decision as the Trust moves towards an Outline Business Case (OBC). The OBC will include more detail and analysis, with the Full Business Case (FBC) containing the final proposals. There will be a full public consultation during 2016/17 on the firmer proposals.
Sara Biffen, Deputy Chief Operating Office at SaTH said: “At this stage no decision about the siting of a single Emergency Centre has been made, and we will listen to people’s hopes and concerns once firmer proposals are on the table.”
Sara, from Telford, added: “Wherever the single Emergency Centre is proposed, we believe it will improve outcomes for patients. This is not being driven by people from outside the area. We all live and work here and we want the best for our patients, their families and our staff.”
