Shropshire health cuts: Crisis house, centre for disabled children and hospice on funding threat list

The group in charge of health services in Shropshire today warned its deficit will rise from £14.5 million to £31m unless action is taken.

That means a possible cut in funding to a crisis house, a centre that helps disabled children and services including counselling based at GP surgeries across the county.

Severn Hospice is likely to keep funding for services it provides – but that is subject to an "evaluation".

Shropshire Clinical Commissioning Group says its financial position is off target. It was today meeting to discuss a list of measures to save £2m.

The Path House in Ludlow, which offers help to people with mental health issues, could lose its funding. The CCG says it is under-occupied and would be better placed in Shrewsbury or north Shropshire.

The Children's Movement Centre at Oswestry Orthopaedic Hospital may also lose funding. It has helped 500 children with neurological conditions such as cerebral palsy since it opened 20 years ago.

A CCG report states: "There is evidence to support the fact the Movement Centre delivers a high standard of treatment. But it is high cost and benefits a small number of patients, so arguably does not deliver value for money."

Enable, an employment service designed to support people with mental health problems into work, faces cuts and Shrewsbury's Oak House, which offers care to people with profound and multiple disabilities, may also lose money.

GP counselling may lose funding but an end of life care project provided by Severn Hospice will continue, subject to an ongoing review.

Dr Julian Povey, chairman of Shropshire CCG, said: "We have to make some very difficult decisions. Our first priority is to ensure that we continue to offer services that meet the demands of our patients, while also delivering value for money.

"We have identified a list of potential opportunities for disinvestment or decommissioning and some further work is required."