Over the past month we have become increasingly concerned about changes being proposed by our local hospital trust to move vital services away from the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital, across the county to Telford’s Princess Royal Hospital.
This includes all inpatient children’s services; all noeonatal services; all consultant maternity services; all gynaecological surgery; all head and neck surgery, including children’s ear, nose and throat surgery; all urology surgery and all breast surgery.
This will not only decimate the excellent services we now receive at RSH but will put at risk other services – not least cancer services which have been so fiercely supported by charitable donations to the Lingen Davies Appeal.
The changes will see the demolition of the Rainbow Ward at RSH and the transfer of the publicly supported head and neck unit, both designed to provide critical care more locally.
Hospital campaigners outside the RSH.
The key concerns which we believe put our NHS in Shrewsbury at risk, for those who have not yet read the consultation document, Keeping it in the County, are:
The changes will present substantial transport difficulties for much of the population of our county, among them 4,000 sick children and 2,000 mothers-to-be in labour every year. For some this will be insurmountable, some will go elsewhere and we will lose the income RSH needs, for some it may be a step too far and lead to tragedy.
The centrality of the current services in Shrewsbury provides access for all. The services work brilliantly at RSH on what is called a ‘hub and spoke’ system. We fail to see how they will work in the future with the ‘hub’ positioned at the far eastern end of our county, disadvantaging the majority of people.
The capital investment to make these changes has been cited as £60 million if in Shrewsbury or £30million in Telford – so they chose the cheaper option. However, no one has been able to explain how these sums were put together and why the substantial difference. We believe the public has a right to have the accurate and detailed information that led to these costs being publicised. We do not believe that detail is available.
There is no business plan supporting the change or the investment required, neither do we know how the capital loan of £30 million will be paid back. The public have a right to know how it will be afforded, what savings will be made to fund almost £2 million a year and what will be the affect on RSH staff and services.
There have been a number of ‘red herrings’ introduced by the trust, not least that if these changes do not go ahead children’s and consultant maternity services may go out of Shropshire. We refute that statement and believe that is as likely ‘as pigs flying’. We have to fight such a flawed argument, a threat, and ensure first class services remain at RSH.
The consultation process commenced in mid December, shortly before Christmas, a timescale designed to deny proper public engagement for the first month–did you know about this in December or start to take notice in the middle of January as most people? It is now important that the public express their views. The next opportunity for this is at a public meeting at Shrewsbury Town Football Club at 7pm tomorrow, Friday. Our MP Daniel Kawczynski will be there, as will we, demanding answers from a panel representing the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust.
PLEASE attend and have your say. This is an important time, the future of the NHS in Shrewsbury is at risk.
Hospital campaigners outside the RSH.