Residents raise objections to Shrewsbury hospital plans under 'Future Fit' transformation

Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust (SaTH) revealed plans last month for a brand new building housing women’s and children’s services, an acute medical unit and intensive therapy unit.

The building would also link to a re-modelled and expanded A&E department. This comes amid a £312 million transformation of the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital and the Princess Royal Hospital in Telford.

As part of the plans, Shrewsbury is set to become the county’s emergency care centre and provide most women and children’s services for the county, while Telford would provide an ‘A&E Local’ service.

A planning application submitted to Shropshire Council for the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital is in a consultation phase which runs until September 6.

So far 40 public comments have been received about the plans, with 38 objections and no support.

Health care worker Emma Overend was one of those objectors and raised her fears that elderly people would be ‘further isolated and caused difficulties’ by the plans.

“I am young and the last time I tried to get a bus, as a resident of Shrewsbury at that time, the service was dire and I was unable to actually get to the hospital for a blood test on public transport as the buses were a total mess with widespread cancellation,” said Miss Overend.

“There is no way emergency services should be moved out of Telford and whoever thought this up needs a dose of reality and what it’s like actually living here and having to use the very poor services we have already.”

While Shrewsbury Town Council remains ‘neutral’ to the plans they also expressed concerns about the ‘lack of a travel plan’.

“The travel plans that have been proposed are not good enough and active travel should be a key element within this application,” they added.

Penelope Wells added to this concern questioning what would happen if people missed the last bus back to their Telford & Wrekin homes.

With extra patients expected to attend the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital the parking provision was also questioned.

David Brown added: “Parking at the Royal is frequently very difficult and sometimes impossible, my son recently missed an appointment there due to there being no parking space.”

Gail Boyce supported this comment in her objection and said that the additional car parking proposed ‘is needed but will be totally inadequate to cater for the extra patients receiving care in Shrewsbury rather than Telford’.

Objectors also questioned why services were being ‘taken away’ from the Princess Royal Hospital when the population of Telford & Wrekin is rapidly expanding.

William Halley added: “Telford is a growing community and it is criminal to put their lives and wellbeing in danger by this stupid proposal. Shrewsbury hospital is almost impossible to get to by public transport and if you can go by car and find a parking space, the parking charges are excessive. I thought the NHS was meant to be free at the point of treatment. Not at our hospitals.”

The amount of industry in Telford was also highlighted as a reason why some A&E services should not be moved to Shrewsbury.

“Hospitals should be all about serving the people who need them, not an exercise in theoretical efficiency and cost saving,” added Bob Greaves in his objection.

“This is a time for services to be added to Telford’s NHS, not taken away.”

Newport residents face a 50-mile round trip to receive treatment at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital and raised their objections

“Newport residents have the furthest to travel already to get to Princess Royal Hospital never mind Royal Shrewsbury Hospital,” added Lyn Fowler

“Telford and Wrekin Council having used Newport as a cash cow, have left Newport with thousands more residents who may need to use our hospital facilities and going over to Shrewsbury is too far in emergency situations.”

Plans for the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital can be found on the Shropshire Council planning portal, application reference 23/01481/FUL.