Shropshire NHS chief ‘deeply frustrated’ over lack of clarity on prospect of 50 per cent budget cut

NHS Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin employs around 313 staff members and recent announcements say that the integrated care board’s budget has to be cut by 50 per cent in line with the rest of the country.

NHS Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin commissions health services across the area and leaders gave their reactions at a board meeting on Wednesday (March 26).

Roger Dunshea, Acting Chair and Non-Executive Director of NHS Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin, said: “Personally I find the whole thing devastating for our colleagues who face uncertainty over jobs.”

The board meeting was told that staff will be given ‘support and guidance’ while chiefs seek out what the organisation’s future is. Mr Dunshea said that clarity has not been forthcoming from Government so far.

“The feedback leaves me deeply frustrated and no clarity at all is coming out of this.

“The figures are challenging to say the least and the timetable we have been given is all nigh impossible.

“We will try to get clarity as soon as we can.”

Lynn Cawley, Healthwatch Shropshire’s Chief Officer, asked for the public to be told “as soon as you know more” because patients are worried about how it might affect their care.

Dr Niti Pall, Non-Executive Director, agreed that “patients are worried” about what might happen to services and the focus of human resources would have to be on not losing ‘key people’ from the organisation.

Dr Deborah Shepherd, a board Primary Care Member and GP in Shropshire, said the news had come as a ‘huge shock” and she wants to “make sure that support is in place” for employees.

Board members spoke of work needing to continue on service improvements.

Simon Whitehouse, Chief Executive, said the board had a “really strong base to work from” but it had been a “challenging couple of weeks.”

He praised staff for continuing to show a “can do attitude” despite “nervousness”.

“We clearly still have a job to do,” he added.

He added that the Integrated Care Board has paused recruitment into vacant positions while the future is planned.

Mr Whitehouse and his finance colleagues stressed that tighter finances across the NHS would mean living within their means.

“We will be asking what can we afford with the resources being made available,” he said.

“We won’t be able to continue with all the services we currently provide. We need to make sure our decisions are evidence-based.”

Dave Bennett Associate Non-Executive Director, said the financial situation that the board finds itself in means they face “serious challenges.”

“There are serious challenges to delivering what we are expected to deliver.”

The ICB has been charged with delivering a balanced budget by 2027-28 but is currently heading to reporting a £12 million deficit at the end of this financial year, the board was told.