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.

September 27, 2016: Telford & Wrekin Council leader Shaun Davies promises legal action to keep accident and emergency services at PRH.

October 1, 2016: Hundreds of people turn out to protest against threats to health services at PRH. A march takes place from Wellington town centre to the hospital.

November 14, 2016: It is announced that public consultation is likely to be pushed back until after May. Telford & Wrekin Council calls on Future Fit bosses to admit the process is flawed. North Shropshire MP Owen Paterson says the delays are frustrating for everyone concerned and damaging for public confidence.

November 30, 2016: Future Fit programme board announces its preferred option for a single A&E unit at RSH and relocation of services from Telford’s Women and Children’s Centre.

December 7, 2016: Telford & Wrekin councillors unanimously back taking legal action if plans to create a single A&E unit at Shrewsbury go ahead. The council demands an independent review into Future Fit.

December 12, 2016: Members of Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin clinical commissioning groups vote not to accept recommendations made by the NHS Future Fit board. The plan is referred back to the board for further work.

February 8, 2017: Health and social care leaders in Shropshire agree to commission an independent review into the NHS Future Fit programme without delay.

July 31, 2017: During a meeting of the NHS Future Fit Programme Board, members renew their recommendation that an emergency centre should be based at RSH, while the majority of day case surgery should be carried out at Telford’s PRH.

November 14, 2017: Telford & Wrekin CCG agrees to the Future Fit business model, subject to a number of changes being made to it ahead of the next scheduled talks with national NHS bosses.

November 15, 2017: Shropshire’s CCG also signs off on the pre-consultation business case and consultation documents.

December 13, 2017: The consultation is delayed again as NHS England wants to know that the funding is available.

March 28, 2018: £312m funding allocated for the Future Fit plans by the then Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt.

May 29, 2018: 14-week consultation on the plans launches – giving people two options.

Preferred option recommends RSH becomes base of county’s emergency department, while Telford’s Princess Royal Hospital would take on responsibility for providing planned care.

Second option would see Princess Royal Hospital house Shropshire’s emergency department and Royal Shrewsbury Hospital become the planned care site.

October 22, 2018: Final count shows there were 18,500 responses to the consultation.

November 26, 2018: Results of consultation show of the 18,742 surveys received, 65 per cent said they 'strongly disagreed' or 'disagreed' with the preferred option, with the majority being from the Telford and Wrekin area.

January 29, 2019: Overall plans approved by county officials – 15-person panel, made up of representatives from Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin Clinical Commissioning Groups and independent members signs off on the shake up.

Agreed proposal will see county's emergency centre in Shrewsbury, meaning Telford's Princess Royal Hospital will take over responsibility for planned care.

March 2019: The then Health Secretary Matt Hancock asks Independent Reconfiguration Panel to review Future Fit decisions.

October 2019: Mr Hancock confirms Future Fit plans will go ahead, but says Princess Royal Hospital in Telford will also feature an A&E Local – although severe questions remain over what that will feature.

November 2019: Details revealed over what A&E Local will be with Professor Stephen Powis, national medical director for NHS England and NHS Improvement, and Pauline Philip, the organisation's national director of emergency and elective care saying: "This model means PRH will continue to provide A&E services. We are satisfied that this meets the proposed A&E Local model outlined above and will work with SaTH (Shrewsbury & Telford Hospital Trust) and their partners in the development of the model and a timeline for implementation."

They confirm it will only be open for "core hours", and would deal with emergency ambulance cases such as 'low risk chest pain', pneumonia, DVT or cellulitis.

June 2021: National Audit Office warns scope of project - estimated to cost £533m may have to change to fit in line with its £312m budget. Shrewsbury MP Daniel Kawczynski writes to the then Chancellor, Rishi Sunak to request another £221m.

October 2021: Strategic Outline Case for the plans is finally submitted to NHS England.

January 20, 2022: It is confirmed that the trust's strategic outline case submitted for the project was sent back for further work, with Edward Argar, Minister of State for Health, saying: "It did not pass NHS England and NHS Improvement’s fundamental criteria review”. Issues relate to submission being more costly than the £312m budget available.

April 1, 2022: Government Health Minister Edward Argar writes to trust to say the plans must stick to the £312m budget, as it emerges the proposals in the original strategic outline case (SOC) would have cost more than £500m.

September 3, 2022: Significant milestone as Government and NHS England sign off on Strategic Outline Case for the project – the document which sets out how the plans will work – focussing on key elements after trust was forced to scale back plans.

September 16, 2022: £10m announced to build 'elective surgery hub' at Princess Royal Hospital to cut waiting times.

September 23, 2022: Documents reveal health bosses' original submission for Future Fit plans would have needed an extra £222m.

January 24, 2023: Telford & Wrekin Council leader Councillor Shaun Davies delivers letter requesting review of Future Fit to Downing Street, along with petition signed by 22,718 people.

February 14, 2023: Plans for new entrance of Princess Royal Hospital revealed – while work on development on £24m planned care hub is underway.

April 13, 2023: Pressure on county services is illustrated by figures that reveal Shropshire has the worst 12 hour A&E waits in the country.

May 19, 2023: Government rejects latest request from Telford & Wrekin to review the proposals.

June, 2023: Prime Minister Rishi Sunak confirms early release of £10m for development of outline business case – due to be submitted this summer (2023).

July 13, 2023: Planning application submitted to Shropshire Council for major changes to Royal Shrewsbury Hospital – including a new 30,000 square metre building next to the current main entrance, women’s and children’s services, an acute medical unit and intensive therapy unit, linked to a re-modelled and expanded A&E department.