17 January 2019

The following information is from NHS Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin CCGs

Local health and care leaders have approved all Future Fit documentation, including the Decision Making Business Case (DMBC), to be submitted to the Joint Committee of Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs). The Joint Committee will meet on Tuesday, 29th January to make a decision on the future of local hospital services for people across Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin and mid Wales.

Last night, the Programme Board also approved and agreed to publish three remaining documents:
• Travel and Transport Report
• Travel and Transport Mitigation Plan
• ORH Ambulance Modelling Report

The Travel and Transport Report outlines the plans to minimise the potential impact on public, community and non-emergency transport and travel resulting from both of the Future Fit options under consideration. The Ambulance Modelling Report, which was undertaken by an independent consultancy, Operational Research in Health Ltd (ORH), looks at what impact both options would have on ambulance services, including travel times.

These documents will be made available at: www.nhsfuturefit.org

The DMBC will be made available prior to the Joint Committee meeting on 29th January.

The Future Fit Programme Board has amongst its members representatives from the CCGs, Powys Teaching Health Board, NHS England, Telford & Wrekin and Shropshire Councils and includes observers from Healthwatch, Powys Community Health Council, the Joint Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee and patient representatives.

The Board recommended that the Joint Committee receives all Future Fit documents, including the DMBC. This is a key document that brings together all the work that has been carried out by the Future Fit Programme over the last five years and will support the Joint Committee in making a decision on the future of hospital services provided at The Royal Shrewsbury Hospital and the Princess Royal Hospital.

The DMBC includes the recommendation to confirm the CCGs’ previous unanimous decision on the preferred option (Option 1) of The Royal Shrewsbury Hospital becoming an Emergency Care site and The Princess Royal Hospital becoming a Planned Care site, with a 24-hour Urgent Care Centre at both hospitals.

David Evans, Chief Officer at NHS Telford & Wrekin CCG commented: “I would like to thank members of the Future Fit Programme Board for their hard work over the last few years. This has been an extensive, but essential programme of work, during which members have provided valuable input at every stage and guided us through a complex process.”

Dr Simon Freeman, Accountable Officer for NHS Shropshire CCG said: “We are pleased to be able to approve the remaining documents, including the Decision Making Business Case. The CCGs have delegated authority to the Joint Committee to make this important decision on behalf of the CCGs and the people of Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin and mid Wales.”

The Joint Committee meeting will be held in public at 6.30pm on Tuesday, 29 January 2019 at Harper Adams University, Edgmond, Newport TF10 8NB.

The meeting will be live streamed via a webcast that can be accessed at www.nhsfuturefit.org and members of the public are invited to attend.