Mr Mark Cheetham, Consultant Surgeon and Scheduled Care Group Medical Director
Improved specialist Day Surgery facilities would almost double the number of beds available for patients, under plans to improve health services in Shropshire.
Currently Shropshire has 56 Day Surgery Unit beds across both the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital (RSH) and the Princess Royal Hospital (PRH) in Telford.
But under the Sustainable Services Programme, proposed by The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust which runs both hospitals, a single Day Surgery and Short Stay Unit would be created, with the number of beds rising to 91.
The programme proposes creating a single Emergency Centre at either RSH or PRH with Planned Care provided on the other site. The single Day Surgery and Short Stay Unit would be provided on the Planned Care site. More information about the proposals for the Emergency Centre and Planned Care site can be found at www.sath.nhs.uk/sustainableservices.
Mr Mark Cheetham, Consultant Surgeon and Scheduled Care Group Medical Director, outside the Day Surgery Unit at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital
Mr Mark Cheetham, a Consultant Surgeon and Scheduled Care Group Medical Director, said: “Having a dedicated Day Surgery and Short Stay Unit will reduce cancellations and maximise the productivity of our theatres as well as reducing the risk of wound infections. Currently our day case theatres are shared with emergency and inpatients, which can mean that other patients can sometimes take priority.
“Our plans would see Shropshire having one of the biggest Day Surgery and Short Stay Units in the region. The unit would also enable us to provide Short Stay services overnight.
Clare Marsh, Ward Manager, and Nettie Wilkes, Health Care Assistant, outside Day Surgery Unit at the Princess Royal Hospital in Telford
“The Sustainable Services Programme provides some excellent opportunities. Whilst, understandably, a lot of the focus has been on A&E, this programme is so much more than that.
“It provides opportunities to create Centres of Excellence, such as for Bariatric Surgery, improve facilities in a number of areas, such as Day Surgery, and enhance both of our hospitals.
“Through these plans we can ensure we have two vibrant hospitals each providing a range of services for patients in Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin and mid Wales.”