Telford A&E could 'convert to urgent care centre' overnight

David Sandbach, former chief executive of Telford's Princess Royal Hospital, has asked to meet Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust's board to discuss this idea.

Last week, the board voted in favour of the night-time closure of PRH's A&E department from November, which would last at least six months.

Mr Sandbach has now written to the trust's chief executive, Simon Wright, and its chairman Ben Reid.

He said: "I think the decision to close PRH overnight and not have any walk-in care service based at PRH was a wrong decision.

"In my opinion the PRH A&E service could convert to an urgent care centre provision between the hours of 8pm to 8am.

"As you know the long-term plan is to have a standalone urgent care centre at Royal Shrewsbury Hospital or PRH, whichever is the planned hospital.

"So why not get some experience of operating a standalone urgent care centre now, albeit for 50 per cent of the week on a 'temporary' six month or so basis.

"Make a virtue out of a crisis why not?"

He says Telford's A&E could be staffed by non-medical practitioners from 8pm to 8am and the Shropdoc facility based at PRH could be enlarged and asked to provide GP input as required in the emergency department.

Mr Sandbach said the duty medical team at PRH could be based in the emergency department overnight.

He says triage activity and minor injuries or medical case activity could be seen by non-medical practitioners with a tele-medicine link to RSH A&E if needed.

And he has suggested more complex cases could be seen by the duty Shropdoc GP.

Under his plan, patients with major illnesses would be seen by the duty medical team normally in the urgent care centre or on other wards.

Mr Sandbach added: "To leave this area of Shropshire uncovered 12 hours a day will be perceived as an abdication of responsibility for the wellbeing of a significant population.

"SaTH will be seen as deliberately cutting services when there is no need so to do."