Ophthalmology site could close in an attempt to improve treatment for Shropshire eye patients
Hospital bosses have drawn up further plans to save the failing ophthalmology department at Shropshire’s main hospitals.
The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospitals NHS Trust (SaTH) is proposing to close one of its three main ophthalmology sites, and hopes the move will improve treatment for eye patients.
The plans got the backing of the Joint Health Overview Scrutiny Committee at a meeting on Friday.
Deputy medical director, Tony Fox, told members that he hopes the department will become a “centre of excellence” following the changes.
He said: “We’ve had problem with work force retention and issues with seeing patients within the set time frames, and have experience high rates of complaints.
“But Clinic 10 within the Copthorne Building at Royal Shrewsbury Hospital (RSH) has opened and paediatrics moved temporarily to Princess Royal Hospital (PRH) pending refurbishment of ward 16 which opened in October.
Communicate
“These facilities give us the opportunity to communicate with our patients and many of the issues that concerned us before have been addressed.”
Dr Fox said there has also been a successful recruitment drive and all of the services that had been closed have now re-opened, bar one.
But to streamline the service further, the trust is proposing to shut Euston House in Telford.
“There are some issues at Euston House,” he said. “Staff feel somewhat restricted to expand their knowledge and the machinery we have also restricts the amount of cataract operations we can do.
“A reduction to two sites will give us better face to face engagement with patients and there will be emergency services on both sites which will make it safer.”
Co-chair Councillor Andy Burford, from Telford & Wrekin Council, raised concerns that under the new plans all cataract patients will be seen at RSH.
He said: “I have concerns about things moving in that direction. It can be seen by the public as another brick in the wall.
“I don’t find the reasoning behind it very convincing. I understand a machine is needed but why also that can’t be done in PRH, I don’t fully understand.”
