Ludlow mum leads campaign for better children's health services in the town
A new health survey has been launched in Ludlow, spearheaded by a local mum and town councillor, to highlight a growing concern over the lack of children's health services in the area.
Councillor Stacey Harris, a proud Ludlow mum, is working with the new Ludlow Health Campaign to gather data and personal stories to present a case to NHS leaders.
The campaign comes after years of a steady decline in local services, leaving families with no choice but to travel long distances for what many consider to be basic health appointments.
A Journey for Basic Care
Councillor Harris points to a number of services that have been withdrawn from Ludlow over the years. The Midwife-Led Birthing Unit, for example, closed permanently in 2018, leaving Telford as the only remaining option for births in Shropshire, Telford, and Wrekin (unless a family opts for a home birth).
Additionally, essential children's services, such as newborn hearing tests, are now exclusively available in Telford. This means parents must travel up to an hour for a quick appointment, a significant burden for those without access to a car.
"I’ve had enough now," said Councillor Harris. "In the time I've been a mum, there's a sense of fewer and fewer services being available to us here in Ludlow. I'm lucky, I suppose, because I can drive. But for the many parents who don't have a car, the barriers to getting the right care for their child are huge."
Cuts and Closures
The list of closures and service cuts is extensive. Health visitor and school nurse numbers were reduced in 2017, leading to less support for Ludlow children. Children's development centres for special needs are located in Shrewsbury and Telford, which campaigners say are not "local" options for Ludlow residents.
The issue of long waiting times for assessments for conditions like autistic spectrum disorders and ADHD, as well as a lack of timely mental health support for young people, has also been a long-standing concern acknowledged by the NHS.
"Why are we travelling to Telford or Shrewsbury for a basic hearing test, or a developmental check?" asks Councillor Harris. "Isn't it time for health bosses to make the slogans about 'care closer to home' real? Maybe once a month, the hearing tests can be in Ludlow; the speech therapy assessments can be in Ludlow; the developmental assessments can be in Ludlow. Why is it always us who have to do the travelling?"
A Call for Change
The Ludlow Health Campaign, a new group formed by local residents, hopes to use the results of the survey to demand action from NHS leaders. The group believes that by gathering hard data and personal accounts, they can demonstrate the urgent need to bring services back to Ludlow.
Councillor Harris also highlighted other potential improvements, such as providing basic X-ray services for children at Ludlow Hospital, which already has the necessary equipment. She also pointed out the unfulfilled promise from ten years ago to upgrade the town’s Minor Injuries Unit to an Urgent Treatment Centre, a move that would benefit all local residents.
The campaign's core message is clear: "Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin is a huge area. Sticking almost all the health care in the two biggest towns makes no sense at all." The survey is now open for all Ludlow and South Shropshire residents to have their say on the state of local children’s health services.
