Health service consultation extended

A consultation into a £300 million health service reorganisation in Shropshire, that will affect patients from Powys, has been extended by an extra week.

NHS Future Fit and Powys Teaching Health Board have announced a number of extra consultation meetings as they seek to get as much feedback from people as possible.

Back in March the UK Government announced that Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin Sustainability & Transformation Partnership (STP) would receive more than £300 million funding for the Future Fit programme to make the changes to services.

The 14-week consultation started on May 30 and was due to end on September 4, and the main exhibition event in Powys was held in Newtown on June 28.

To date the consultation has received more than 2,500 responses.

An extra event has been planned for Welshpool and the consultation will now run until September 11.

Health campaigner and Powys County Councillior, Joy Jones, is delighted to see the extra time and events taking place.

Cllr Jones (pictured) said: “I think it’s good that we’ve had an extension so that anybody missed has the opportunity of joining in.

“This consultation is one of the most important consultations to affect Powys so it is paramount that the public gets involved.

“I’ve said before we’d like to see an A&E department in every hospital and in every time but this is financially not feasible and sadly there wouldn’t be the staff and consultants available to do this.

“So the next best option for us in Powys is option one as this will safeguard people being able to get treated in an emergency promptly and making sure that we have the best outcome available for the residents of this area.

“It will be great to have further consultations around Powys and the extra one that will be held in Welshpool will be very beneficial.”

Adrian Osborne, from Powys Teaching Health Board, said: “I have been privileged to speak with hundreds of people across north Powys over the past two months at the NHS Future Fit events run by Powys Teaching Health Board.

“Many people living in north Powys use hospital services in Shropshire, so it is vital that they take this opportunity to have their say on proposals that will affect the shape of neighbouring hospital services for generations to come.”

The new list of meetings organised by Future Fit will take place:

·      The Pop in Q&A sessions, from 4pm – 7pm, are being held on:

·      The Royal Oak Hotel, The Cross, Welshpool,  Thursday, August 30.

Two smaller pop up events where you can meet organised by Powys Teaching Health Board will be held at:

·      Bear Lanes Shopping Centre, Newtown , on Tuesday, August 2  from 10am to 1pm.

·      The Herbert Arms, Kerry, on Wednesday, August 22, from 6pm to 8pm.

The Options under consideration are:

Option1: The Royal Shrewsbury Hospital becomes an Emergency Care site and the Princess Royal Hospital becomes a Planned Care site

Option 2: The Princess Royal Hospital becomes an Emergency Care site and the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital becomes a Planned Care site

Under either option, both hospitals would have an Urgent Care Centre that is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. where patients would receive care for illnesses and injuries that are not life or limb-threatening but require urgent attention.