Improving the care and experience for our patients is a key priority for our Trust and our commitment to research, innovation and improvement is part of that journey.
In the past year, more than 600 patients have taken part in 177 research studies at the Trust and we are celebrating this as part of our first ever Research, Innovation and Improvement Week (25-29 September).
We are always looking for opportunities to improve, whether it is our exciting digital robot transforming surgical care, reducing screening waiting times through working differently, or trialling new processes to reduce waste.
Research and innovation help us to determine the best treatments and make a real difference to the care we provide.
One example is the Trust’s involvement in the FAST-Forward trial, which tested whether five doses of radiotherapy treatment delivered over a one-week period worked as well as the standard three-week treatment in preventing breast cancer returning.
Results showed that the five doses over one week worked just as well, and this is now the new standard of care for many breast cancer patients. The benefits of this trial is that it reduces hospital visits for our patients.
Health and care services across Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin remain under extreme pressure, so we are asking our local communities to please choose the right service for their health needs.
This will really help to reduce the pressure and ensure that everyone is getting the right care, in the right place as quickly as possible.
We are managing high numbers of people coming into our emergency departments, which is leading to long waits as we prioritise those most in need. We are taking additional steps to ensure we continue to provide the care our communities need, but we also need their help.
If you have an urgent but not life-threatening medical need, please visit www.111.nhs.uk. NHS 111 online is available to signpost people to the best option for their care needs. You can find out more about the services available on the Think Which Service website .
I would also urge you all to keep up to date with any COVID-19 or flu vaccinations that you are eligible for.
It is crucial with winter being a challenging time for the NHS and the potential for the new COVID-19 variant to increase the risk of infection that everybody does everything they can to protect themselves and others.
Residents of older adult care homes and those most at risk including those who are immunosuppressed will receive their COVID-19 vaccine first.
Carers, pregnant women, and health and social care staff will all be among the groups to be offered a COVID-19 jab and flu vaccine this winter, as well as adults aged 65 and over.
Eligible people should wait to receive an invite from their local provider.