Future Fit Hospitals Transformation Process – the story so far

2013: It is announced that there will be a change to health services in the county.

January 30, 2014: Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust board (SaTH) is due to approve the plan for the redesign of how services are delivered in Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin and Mid Wales.

March 14, 2014: It is announced that Shropshire is to have just one A&E department.

September 5, 2014: The two-year operating plan published by SaTH suggests one single A&E unit in a new purpose built hospital is the only way to go.

September 12, 2014: Councillors in Telford & Wrekin call for Secretary of State for Health Jeremy Hunt to intervene and end uncertainty over the future of A&E services in the town.

September 26, 2014: Eight different options are drawn up as part of the Future Fit programme and presented to members of SaTH.

September 29, 2014: The new £28million Women and Children’s Centre at the PRH opens for the first time.

October 1, 2014: Health chiefs release a feasibility study which reveals building on a new site between Shrewsbury and Telford would cost £500 million to £520 million.

September 23 2015: Mike Sharon, programme director of Future Fit, tells Telford & Wrekin CCG proposals for a single hospital have been deemed unaffordable.

October 1, 2015: The decision is put back, possibly until summer 2016.

December 5, 2015: Telford & Wrekin Council launches campaign to keep A&E in Telford.

December 9, 2015: SaTH says a decision will be made in June 2017.

May 10, 2016: Future Fit plans are thrown into turmoil as the county’s two clinical commissioning groups – Telford & Wrekin and Shropshire – are split on whether to back the plans.

June 29, 2016: Both CCGs agree the strategic outline case for Future Fit.

Mid September 2016: Options appraisal meeting outlines future for both hospitals in Shropshire – reportedly saying that the PRH should lose both its A&E and Women and Children’s Centre.