Future Fit consultation moves a step closer
A meeting has been called where Shropshire's health bosses are due to sign off the business case to reorganise hospital services in Shropshire.
Shropshire Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) is expected to sign off the pre-consultation business case into Future Fit at the extraordinary meeting on Wednesday ahead of a meeting with NHS England the following day.
The CCG hopes to submit its final piece of evidence to NHS England before a decision is made whether public consultation can begin on the Future Fit programme.
The pre-consultation business case states: “The Future Fit Programme has in collaboration with its sponsor organisations and stakeholders developed a number of proposals for changing the configuration of acute hospital services for the populations of Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin and parts of Powys that rely on the services of Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust, that will both improve the quality and safety of care for the whole population and increase the system sustainability for the next generation.”
“It has taken over three years to get to this point, longer than expected. During this time services have also become even more fragile. However, the programme has been able to develop during this time additional assurances around its processes and decision making that must now give confidence to the public and to the regulators that it is time to proceed to public consultation.
“The CCGs believe the time is now right to ask the public and all other stakeholders its view on these options and to proceed to public consultation.”
Shropshire CCG along with Telford & Wrekin CCG has been in the final stages of preparing for consultation on the scheme, which is recommending the creation of a main emergency centre at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital, with the Princess Royal in Telford becoming the centre for planned care. Proposals include a new emergency centre and consultant led women and children’s services at RSH.
Telford’s CCG will discuss the business case at a meeting on Tuesday.
Doctors based at the hospitals have previously said that “doing nothing is not an option” and that services need to be changed to make the hospitals sustainable for the future.Staffing levels at both hospitals also remain an issue and chiefs hope changes will make it easier to recruit and keep staff.
A special Future Fit board came up with its preferred option of the A&E unit at the RSH last year sparking controversy with critics calling for the two hospitals to retain existing departments.
Telford & Wrekin Council threatened legal action and it was decided that a review should be taken into how the decision making process was carried out. The review concluded that there was no guarantee the money needed to make the proposed changes will be available.
It is concerned about funding and the need for a proper plan for the future of community care.
Following the go-ahead from NHS England, plans are expected to go to public consultation and a final decision will then be made in the new year.
The Shropshire CCG meeting will take place at 2pm on Wednesday at Shrewsbury Town Football Club.
