Shropshire health bosses aiming to redesign services over next five years
Outpatient services in the county will be redesigned by 2026 and people will soon be able to share their views on the plans, health bosses have said.
Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin Integrated Care System (ICS), which brings together health and social care organisations across the region, says it aims to redesign outpatient services by improving the referral processes and the way appointments are provided.
Bosses say it will involve new ways of working.
A statement from the ICS says: "This includes more ways of seeing or speaking to a specialist digitally from the comfort of your own home, more people having the power to choose whether they require a follow up or not, and receiving advice, support, and diagnosis in other ways closer to home, where a trip to the hospital may not always be necessary, or the best use of your time.
"We will soon be involving the public to gather their thoughts and opinions on the plans."
By 2026 health bosses are also aiming to redesign and improve the way eye care services are provided from GPs and opticians, through to hospital appointments.
The ICS says the work will include looking at how patients are referred into the service and how providers share information with each other to help make decisions.
They are looking to increase the number of remote consultations held and provide more support in the community.
The statement adds: "One of the ways we are doing this is with the roll-out of electronic eye care referrals, which will improve the flow of referrals and vital high resolution digital images between teams.
"We are currently analysing the way the current system works, including looking at the data for the service as it stands.
"During the coming months, a series of engagement events will be arranged where we hope to gather opinions, experiences and feedback on eye care services in the county, and will help inform the design and development of improved services."
Organisations are also working together to improve cancer services.
There are aims to provide more cancer care within the community, focusing on social and psychological, as well as physical needs; improve cancer treatment waiting times and introduce pioneering new technologies for early cancer detection, according to the county's ICS.
