'Immediate changes needed' to community health services in Shropshire
Immediate changes are needed to community hospitals and health services in Shropshire, health campaigners say.
As the Future Fit hospital shake-up hangs in limbo, Peter Corfield, chairman of the League of Friends of Ludlow Community Hospital, says it is vital for action to be taken now to improve community health services.
He argues that improving facilities at community hospitals could lead to fewer unnecessary ambulance transfers to accident and emergency departments.
Mr Corfield says video conferencing technology should be introduced to Ludlow Community Hospital and better signposting to the minor injuries unit would be inexpensive and informative.
He said: "People want to go somewhere close to home and get good quality or care. A lot of people turning up in A&E do not need to be there.
"The community model is perhaps as important as a lot of the other changes being proposed.
"If we get it right it reduces the strain and the workload.
"It is time to look at what people want and what people want is care closer to home.
"Some actions, which could be taken now, are very simple – instead of local road signs stating 'Ludlow Hospital – No A&E' why not state what we do have, 'Ludlow Hospital – minor injuries unit' which would be inexpensive and informative.
"Since 2006, when the league first published its vision document, we have proposed various additions to the minor injuries unit, such as video-conferencing access to A&E, incorporating patients’ vital data, all of which could lead to fewer unnecessary ambulance transfers to Shrewsbury, Telford or Hereford."
He says there is also a growing concern about the shortage of GPs and the threatened closure of some GP practices.
And he has stressed the need for a midwife-led maternity unit to remain in Ludlow.
The future of the maternity unit, along with those in Bridgnorth and Oswestry, are at risk with health bosses wanting to close them permanently to births.
They say only a small percentage of women were using them and a public consultation is due to launch later this year.
Vital
Mr Corfield said: "It is vital that stays. New mums-to-be should not have to trek to Telford for something which could be offered in Ludlow."
Shropshire Clinical Commissioning Group is currently developing a new model of healthcare for communities in the county.
It comes as Health Secretary Matt Hancock has yet to decide whether to review the Future Fit decision, which will affect services at Royal Shrewsbury Hospital and Princess Royal Hospital in Telford.
The decision, made by health commissioners in January, was for RSH to host the county's only emergency centre and for PRH to take over responsibility for planned care.
