The Easter Bank Holiday is approaching and we would encourage you to take simple steps to ensure that you plan ahead to know where to get help and the care that you need.
With your General Practice (GP) closed on Good Friday (3 April) and Easter Monday (6 April), people are being reminded to check they have essential medicines at home and think about which NHS service is most appropriate if they become unwell.
Community pharmacies can provide expert advice and treatment for a range of minor illnesses such as coughs, colds, sore throats, earache and stomach upsets, often without the need for an appointment.
Some pharmacies across the county will remain open over the Bank Holiday period, and people are advised to check local opening times in advance on the NHS Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin website: www.shropshiretelfordandwrekin.nhs.uk
For urgent medical help that is not life-threatening, NHS 111 is available 24 hours a day, online or by phone, offering quick advice and directing patients to the most appropriate service.
Minor Injury Units (MIUs) are also available to treat non-life-threatening injuries such as sprains, minor fractures, burns and cuts, helping to reduce pressure on emergency departments.
Emergency departments (EDs) and 999 services should only be used for serious or life-threatening conditions, such as chest pain, severe bleeding, difficulty breathing or signs of a stroke.
Next week sees the start of resident doctors’ strike action, which runs from 7am on Tuesday 7 April to 7am on Monday 13 April.
We are doing all that we can to reduce any disruption to our services during the industrial action and wherever possible, we are running services as normal, so if you do have an appointment please attend. We will contact you if we need to reschedule due to the strike action.
Along with other healthcare organisations we will be working hard to deliver the best possible care.
Please continue to come forward as normal if you have a life-threatening emergency: our emergency departments remain open 24 hours a day.
If you do not have a life-threatening emergency, please follow the advice above to get the care that you need at the right time and in the right place.
Today (Wednesday 1 April) is the formal creation of a new Group for The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust and Shropshire Community Hospital NHS Trust.
It is an exciting time as The Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin Community and Hospitals NHS Group, aims to have one voice and one purpose – moving towards excellence.
By becoming a Group, both our Boards are determined to deliver better care for patients and a better experience for staff through joint working.
The two organisations have had a Group Chief Executive (CEO), Jo Williams, and Group Chair, Andrew Morgan. From today (1 April 2026), both trusts will also share Executives and Non-Executive Directors across both organisations.
This is an important milestone as it brings together community and acute (hospitals) experience and delivers greater value for money.