Future Fit consultation: Analysis of responses under way
An initial analysis of Future Fit consultation responses is underway and a business case will be presented by the end of January, it has been revealed.
Simon Freeman, the accountable officer at Shropshire CCG, told the organisation's board that an independent third party is completing the next stage of the process.
He said: "An initial analysis of the consultation responses is being undertaken by an independent third party.
"The outcome will be a formal report to the programme board which will take place in late 2018 with various documents that will constitute the business case which will go to the CCG board meeting in late 2018 or January 2019."
The Future Fit programme looks at the future of Shropshire's two main hospitals, particularly its A&E provision.
It launched more than four years ago in response to the Government’s ‘Call to Action’, which asked NHS staff, patients, the public and politicians to come together and agree what changes were needed to make local NHS services fit for the future.
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It has since been the topic of much controversy – with many having different ideas on what should be done, and some campaigners making repeated calls that it should be scrapped altogether.
Dozens of options where whittled down to just two, with Shropshire and Telford and Wrekin Clinical Commissioning Groups signing them off for public consultation.
They both involve creating an emergency care site for the county at either Royal Shrewsbury Hospital or Princess Royal Hospital in Telford, which would deal with the most serious cases.
The alternative site would take on responsibility for planned care and urgent care centres would be set up at both RSH and PRH.
The plans will also affect where consultant-led women and children’s services are based.
Hospital bosses in the county say their preferred option is for RSH to have the county's emergency centre and for both it and PRH to have urgent care centres. PRH would be the centre for planned surgery.
