Inside Shropshire health services plans to limit winter pressure

Winter pressures pose significant issues for health services, and the patients they treat, with the cold weather and the illness it brings leading to significantly increased demands for nearly all forms of health care.

For Shropshire and Mid Wales the situation has proven particularly difficult in recent years, with services at the county's emergency hospitals overwhelmed by demand at points, and GPs struggling with the numbers of patients.

The issues with A&Es at Royal Shrewsbury Hospital and Princess Royal Hospital have been widely discussed - with the past two years seeing occasions where A&Es in the county were the worst in the country for the number of people waiting more than 12 hours.

While the emergency hospitals' performance has been a source of concern, health bosses explain how the issue is a result of wider 'system' pressure, where the most visible impact is always seen at the 'front door' of A&E.

As the cold weather starts to bite, NHS Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin has shared its plans to try and limit the impact on A&Es and other services by explaining it will try to provide more care at home - or through other NHS services.

They include using pharmacists as an alternative to seeing the GP and keeping up with vaccinations.

Other aspects are the focus on speeding up discharge for those who are medically fit to leave hospital, which in turn frees up beds to allow other people to be treated.

Vanessa Whatley, Chief Nursing Officer from NHS Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin said: “With winter approaching, we are working hard to manage the extra demand on our urgent and emergency care services."

She added: “Our goal is to provide safe, effective, and lasting care to our community this winter and in the future.”