Telford A&E closure plan ‘is ludicrous’ - health boss

Dr Simon Freeman warned that poor A&E waiting times at hospitals in Telford and Shrewsbury would be affected further.

Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust (SaTH) recorded among the worst A&E waiting times in the country last month, with a third of patients having to wait longer than the four-hour government target.

There is still uncertainty over whether SaTH will bring in a temporary overnight closure of the emergency department at Princess Royal Hospital, on safety grounds, after a consultant resigned.

Hospital bosses can activate a contingency plan which would see the emergency department at PRH close between the hours of 8pm to 8am for up to two weeks.

They say they are doing everything in their powers to stop this from happening, but it has prompted concern from health commissioners.

Dr Simon Freeman, accountable officer for Shropshire clinical commissioning group, told a meeting of the CCG board yesterday that this would only add to the pressures already facing A&E.

Speaking at the meeting in Shrewsbury, he said: "Closing one A&E overnight would make performance even worse, not better.

"The logistics of moving patients around seems ludicrous."

It was agreed that the board would write to SaTH seeking assurances over its contingency plan and to request a meeting with clinical directors.

Dr Julie Davies, director of performance and delivery, also told the meeting that A&E waiting times had shown a clear improvement in the last week but still remained a concern.

The government says that 95 per cent of patients should be seen within four hours in A&E, but the target has not been met in Shropshire for some time.

The trust has struggled to recruit doctors for its A&E departments and it is understood that the consultant who has resigned will leave in the next few weeks.

A&E target is missed despite improvement

More than seven in 10 patients were seen within four hours in Shropshire’s A&E departments last week, health commissioners have been told.

The figure is way behind the national target of 95 per cent.

But Dr Julie Davies, director of performance and delivery for Shropshire clinical commissioning group, told a meeting of the CCG board yesterday that the figure marked a significant improvement on previous weeks.

She said about 75 per cent of patients had been seen within the four-hour government target last week.

It is a rise from 66 per cent in January, which put SaTH at the bottom in the country for its A&E waiting times.

But Dr Davies added: “It remains considerable cause for concern.”

She said the issue of workforce also remained a big challenge, not only in the emergency departments but for junior doctors also.

Health commissioners are now asking for assurances over SaTH's contingency plan which could see the emergency department at Princess Royal Hospital close between the hours of 8pm to 8am for up to two weeks.

The trust, which runs PRH and Royal Shrewsbury Hospital, is having to consider the measure after a consultant resigned.

Health commissioners say they want to ensure the plan is safe and are writing to the trust over their concerns.

Hospital bosses say they are doing all they can to avoid taking this measure.

The trust says it is looking at how to secure enough staff on its rota and has sought help from neighbouring health trusts.

Simon Wright, chief executive of SaTH, previously said it was in the trust’s interests to keep the accident and emergency department open, but added that it must be safe.

SaTH has struggled to recruit doctors for its A&E departments, with health chiefs citing it as one of the main reasons for its desire to create one emergency centre at Shrewsbury as part of the Future Fit health review.

Earlier this week David Evans, chief officer for Telford & Wrekin CCG, told a meeting of the Telford & Wrekin CCG board that being the worst in the country for A&E waiting times is unacceptable and will not be tolerated.