Experts want services at one site

Many clinicians believe there is a need for a single site for such services and health experts and residents also called for health chiefs to press ahead with the plans during a board meeting of Shropshire County Primary Care Trust in Shrewsbury yesterday.

• Click here to comment

Board members discussed a report which recommends having the county's acute services on a single site from 2020, be it at the PRH, RSH or a new hospital.

The report also looks at moves to work towards that objective, proposing moving the more serious accident and emergency cases, acute and vascular surgery and in-patient paediatrics, either from the PRH to the RSH or vice versa, with the RSH noted as the preferred option.

Members yesterday agreed or noted recommendations in the report, including noting that option one of the 2012/13 reconfiguration - having level two A&E with acute surgery, inpatient paediatrics, obstetrics and neonates at the RSH - ranked highest financially and non-financially.

They also agreed that a full option appraisal should be carried out for all three options for a single site - the PRH, RSH or a new acute hospital - for 2020.

Dr Jane Povey, medical director with Shropshire County PCT who sits on the board, was asked by its chairman, Angus Hannagan, if it was right that the majority of clinicians felt that an option of a single site was the way forward.

She said "yes", and added: "Clinicians think there is a need for a single site to maintain a safe service and improve on quality of service."

And former councillor Eileen Sandford, who attended as a member of the public, said: "I would go straight for one site and get on with it as soon as possible."

However, concerns were raised about the report.

David Sandbach, a former chief executive of the PRH, attended the meeting as a member of the public. He said some of the options being put forward were "iffy at best" and he planned to draw up his own options.

After the meeting he said: "Everyone in health care would say a single site is what's needed."

Concerns were also raised about the report by Chris Hinton, a breast surgeon based at the PRH, who told the board members: "I think you're being pushed to make decisions on a time scale that is unnecessary."

After the meeting he said: "There are changes that are needed, changes that could be made but they are changes that can be made without jeopardising health services for one community or another."