Trauma unit mooted for Royal Shrewsbury Hospital

Royal Shrewsbury Hospital could become a dedicated trauma unit in a bid to relieve pressure on major centres such as those in Stoke and Birmingham, it was revealed this afternoon.

Under the proposals more patients who have suffered serious injuries will be sent to the county hospital to be assessed before being either treated there or sent on to one of the regions major trauma centres.

A report to tomorrow's board meeting of Shropshire County PCT says the cost of turning the site into a trauma unit as part of the West Midlands Trauma System would be about £150,000 to £200,000.

If the plans go ahead, the RSH would provide an important role in stabilising and triaging patients who have suffered trauma incidents in rural areas.

Health chiefs say the network has been proposed in a bid to save more lives. The report says there is a 20 per cent higher in-hospital mortality rate for trauma patients in England compared to the USA.