Blog: Shropshire hospitals decision made, but many worries remain

Blog: Health bosses have given their backing to a big shake-up of services at Shropshire's two main hospitals.

Someone asked me, as I left the last of four meetings called to discuss the proposals, whether I was surprised the plans had won support, writes Dave Morris.

No was my reply.

Since last August, when we first got to hear of the ideas for change, I have always felt there was a good chance they would be approved.

Adam Cairns, the "new" chief executive of the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital Trust, has been far more convincing over the need to reshape (or reconfigure, as officials say) services at the Royal Shrewsbury and Princess Royal.

He has stressed time and time again that maintaining the status quo is not an option, that the plans have been driven by clinicians, and that changes are necessary to main safe and sustainable services.

Mr Cairns has also been very forceful with warnings that if key services are not reorganised then Shropshire risks losing them to other centres such as Stoke and Wolverhampton.

But not everyone is happy - far from it.

A strong campaign has been run to keep women and children's services at Shrewsbury with more than 33,000 people from across Shropshire and mid Wales signing a petition.

Some clinicians at the Royal Shrewsbury have also voiced concerns.

However Mr Cairns appeared to have won the argument with influential players even before the county's NHS trusts had met to decide whether or not to sanction the proposals.

Support in principle had come over the last few weeks from the Shropshire Council cabinet, Telford & Wrekin Council and health watchdogs.

That said, 33,000 people cannot be ignored and they have raised genuine fears, in particular over the danger extra travel times pose for mums and babies in emergency situations.

Mr Cairns and other NHS leaders have said the recent consultation has been tremendously worthwhile, and that they will on board the concerns that have been expressed as they now move forward to draw up more detailed business plans.

They will need to work hard to carry the public with them and allay worries. They will have to prove that the changes they want are safe and in fact services will be better.

If they don't, then the road ahead is going to be extremely rocky - and 33,000 people will be ready to pounce on the first failed promise or serious incident.