Local NHS trusts focus on excellence as they formalise Group

After months of preparation, the two local community and hospital trusts have formalised a new Group. The Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin Community and Hospitals NHS Group, aims to have one voice and one purpose – moving towards excellence.

By becoming a Group, both Shropshire Community Health NHS Trust and The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust Boards are determined to deliver better care for patients and a better experience for staff through joint working.

The Group will build on the strong foundations that already exist to continue to strengthen local services, improve resilience and performance and deliver value for taxpayers.

Jo Williams is Group Chief Executive (CEO) and Andrew Morgan Group Chair of the two organisations. Andrew has been in post since 2024 and the Group CEO role was established in September 2025.

As of yesterday, 1 April, both trusts have shared Executives and Non-Executive Directors across both organisations. This brings together community and acute (hospitals) experience and delivers greater value for money.

Forming a Group model follows the approach taken by other NHS trusts across the country and means the trusts stay as two separate statutory organisations.

Listening to patients, staff and partners there are significant opportunities to strengthen collaboration, transform clinical care and deliver consistent access to high quality services through sharing and adopting best practice.

The new Group’s ambition is to deliver excellence by:

- Meeting the healthcare needs of the population by focusing on preventative care leading to reduced health inequalities and improved health outcomes

- Making the shift from hospital to community, for example hospital at home and virtual care

- Improving flow through hospitals and community care, leading to improved Urgent and Emergency Care and reduced waiting times

- Transforming care, by developing more modern tools and ways of working, including digital, workforce and estates. To meet patient needs more efficiently and effectively and reduce duplication.

- Providing a better experience for colleagues, focusing on wellbeing, culture and education.

Jo said: “This is an exciting and important milestone as we formalise our Group. Our priority is to deliver excellence for our patients and colleagues through accelerating opportunities to work together.

“Our communities will not be impacted during these changes to our senior leadership structures, but in time we hope everyone benefits from improved care.

“We have an ambitious transformation programme underway and together we can accelerate our improvement delivering more care closer to home and tackling health inequalities.

“I am proud of the improvements our amazing colleagues are leading within our Group and by working even more closely together we can better support their needs, focusing on their wellbeing, education and providing more modern tools to deliver modern healthcare. This is just the beginning, and the opportunities ahead will make a tangible difference for the communities we serve.”