Future Fit: Health officials look to autumn for 'exciting' hospital plans approval

Shrewsbury & Telford Hospital NHS Trust (SaTH) has reached a major milestone with the submission of a formal planning application for major work at Royal Shrewsbury Hospital.

The project, part of the long-awaited Future Fit programme, now known as the 'Hospitals Transformation Process' (HTP), would see the most important developments in the county's emergency hospital care in decades.

It will see Royal Shrewsbury Hospital (RSH) becoming the centre for critical care, while Princess Royal Hospital (PRH) in Telford will become a focus of planned care – with multi-million pound work already underway on aspects of the proposals at PRH.

Matthew Neal, director of HTP at SaTH, said that there was excitement amongst staff at seeing tangible progress on a project which will re-shape the way care is delivered.

The project will see the construction of a new 30,000 square metre building next to the current main entrance at RSH, with consultant-led women’s and children’s services, an acute medical unit and intensive therapy unit, linked to a re-modelled and expanded Emergency Department.

Mr Neal said: "These are being built for what we know will deliver transformational care."

He said that they hope planning approval will be granted in the autumn – but that would be dependent on a number of factors.

It comes as the official process for the final sign off on the £312m project across both hospitals still requires a number of steps before work begins.

SaTH is currently working on a document called an Outline Business Case (OBC), which needs approval from NHS England, the Department of Health and Social Care and ultimately the Treasury – due to the amount of money involved.

The trust intends to submit the OBC in the coming weeks, then once approved it will prepare and submit another document – the Full Business Case (FBC).

The trust intends for the FBC to be submitted this winter. When that is approved it can begin the full construction work.

The planning application has gone in now to ensure the trust is ready to start when the FBC is signed off.

Mr Neal said: "We are now at this exciting point from our point of view where we are able to take forward the planning permission for the process for this phase."

He added that there had been lots of interest from staff following the submission, with the project "really coming to life for them".

It comes after years of delays in the project, first considered in 2013.

Regarding planning permission expectations, Mr Neal said the "best guess" would be for an autumn decision.

He said: "We are obviously in the hands of Shropshire Council and we are working very closely with them around the application."

He added: "We would like to think something in the autumn for a committee, and that is our working assumption, but we are in the hands of Shropshire and statutory consultees, and the community in terms of comments."

Mr Neal explained how the new facility would feature a fresh modern entrance – fitting of a modern healthcare facility.

The breakdown of the facilities planned include a 3,200sqm emergency department and emergency care centre, through the remodelling and expansion of the existing emergency department. It will include expanded ambulance provision with full cover for 10 ambulances, better patient drop off facilities, and a relocated helipad.

There will also be a 3,200sqm acute medicine, assessment and short stay acute medicine unit, along with a 980sqm Early pregnancy and GATU (Gynaecology Acute Treatment Unit) clinic in new-build accommodation.

Other facilities include a new 2500sqm birthing suite with a co-located midwifery led unit in a new building, as well as a new 1200sqm neonatal unit – co-located with the birthing suite.

There will also be a new 1850sqm maternity inpatient unit in new accommodation, as well as a new 3,200sqm children’s centre in new accommodation with dedicated external play areas.

Other services include the brand new 2500sqm critical care unit with dedicated “sky decks” to assist in patient recovery, as well as a new 1500sqm Oncology and Haematology ward, also in new accommodation.

Mr Neal said the focus for the entire design had been led by the clinical needs of staff, and a desire to provide function over form.

He said: "We have scrutinised every single space in the building to make sure they are benefitting staff and patients.

"Ultimately the form follows the function. It has to function properly. That is what we have had here. The clinicians leading the process so we know these buildings will function properly."