NHS in Shropshire special report: How the changes will affect north Shropshire

Some residents in the area are in favour of a creation of a number of urgent care centres to deal with everything but life-threatening emergencies.

But some fear moving an emergency centre to one site could impact on travel issues in the county.

The Shropshire Star today continues its journey around the region. People in south Shropshire spoke of their fears yesterday and today we have moved to the north of the county.

We will also be looking at the situation in mid Wales, Shrewsbury and Telford as we continue to look at Future Fit, the stalled process looking at the future of NHS services in Shropshire.

The review into health services was expected to come to a decision this autumn but has been put back until next year. But it will almost certainly lead to the closure of one of the county's two A&E departments, currently at Telford's Princess Royal Hospital and Royal Shrewsbury Hospital, along with the opening of a series of urgent care centres across the county.

Health bosses delayed the decision because none of the options on the table adequately tackled the growing deficit – rising to £23 million next year – of Shrewsbury & Telford Hospital NHS Trust.

The situation has led to confusion among patients and doctors alike, as well as concerns about the shape of NHS services in the future and how it will affect them.

Doctor Rob Richards, senior partner at Drayton Medical Practice in Market Drayton, said Future Fit was "clear as mud" and the delay was distressing for patients.

He added that he believed a brand new hospital for Shropshire – not currently an option being considered – was the real solution, adding: "I really worry that the future of two hospital sites may not be sustainable in the long term.

"It is unacceptable politically to shut one and keep the other open, but unfortunately without outside help from NHS England, a new central hospital is just too expensive.

"It is a shame that the sensible solution looks unlikely to happen therefore."

The region's MP Owen Paterson today supported the idea of the creation of a number of urgent care centres to deal with everything but life-threatening emergencies, saying it would provide a massive boost to rural Shropshire.

The North Shropshire MP said the proposed care centres in some of the county's market towns would mean less travelling for people.

Mr Paterson said: "I don't think the public is aware of how much will be done in urgent care centres in places like Whitchurch and Oswestry.

"Not everything done in A&E at the moment is life-threatening. Really technical stuff like hearts, you get flown out of the county, and following road accidents you go to Shrewsbury or Telford.

"Emergency care centres will bring services back into Shropshire. For us in north Shropshire urgent care centres will be a massive improvement.

"It means stuff will be done locally, near our home, meaning less travelling."

"It means we will get away from the endless pillow fight between Shrewsbury and Telford."

Elsewhere North Salop Wheelers is looking to branch out further across the county amid the plans to shake up health services.

North Salop Wheelers, which has provided bus transport in the north Shropshire area for 13 years, is looking at extending its service to Telford – if it can find more volunteer drivers.

It says it is aware that A&E is likely to be situated at either Royal Shrewsbury Hospital or Telford's Princess Royal Hospital in the future and that it has to adapt to the change.

For more than a decade North Salop Wheelers has provided a variety of transport in the north of the county on a not-for-profit basis.

It is run by volunteers and caters for anyone who cannot get access to regular transport, which can cover people experiencing rural isolation or disability.

Each year the bus service, which runs predominantly between the Whitchurch and Wem areas, needs at least £5,000 to run and volunteers rely on donations and grants throughout the year.

"There's a bus ready to go and that's with us," said John Harrison, who runs the group. "If we can find a driver, we're ready to go. It is 33 miles to Telford according to Google. It's two trains, one bus and a walk.

"We're looking for a voluntary bus driver and if we had someone to volunteer then we have got several buses ready to go.

"We could also run another Whitchurch Hospital service. We're desperate for help to run new and keep existing services going.

"All the existing staff are getting older and we cannot go on indefinitely. So we are asking anyone who can to come forward and help. If someone can help in any way they can – one hour, day, week or month, it doesn't matter as all contributions of help will be gratefully received."

The Future Fit programme board, charged with leading a shake-up of health services in Shropshire, is spending an estimated £3 million on the way forward after coming to the conclusion the county could not continue with two A&E departments.

But, after ruling out building a £500 million facility on greenfield land because it was too expensive, the board has yet to decide whether the single A&E should be in Telford or Shrewsbury.