18 May 2026
A new pre-operative assessment centre for the Trust, which runs the county’s acute hospitals, is improving patient care and creating vital additional capacity to support elective recovery.
The service relocated in January 2026 to Sentinel Park on Whitchurch Road, providing a modern, purpose-built facility designed to deliver care closer to home and reduce pressure on The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust’s (SaTH) hospital sites.
Located under three miles from the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital (RSH), the centre offers excellent access and parking.
Since opening on 14 January 2026, the service has already supported more than 3,200 patients. This includes 2,224 patients attending pre-operative assessment appointments, both face to face and by telephone, alongside 1,058 patients attending for assessments.
The move has created a calmer and more efficient environment for both patients and staff, while freeing up valuable clinical space at RSH.
Patients have reported a significantly improved experience, highlighting the ease of parking, improved accessibility and the clean, modern surroundings. Many have also said the new site reduces the stress often associated with visiting a busy hospital.
Staff working at Sentinel Park have also seen clear benefits with improved facilities including dedicated wellbeing space, better staff amenities and a more functional working environment.
The centre includes a range of clinical and support spaces with consulting rooms, assessment areas and administrative facilities on the ground floor, alongside staff areas, offices and wellbeing space on the first floor.
The relocation supports wider NHS ambitions to deliver more care in community settings, reduce unnecessary hospital visits and ensure patients receive treatment in the most appropriate environment.
Work is already underway to further enhance the service. Improvements to signage and wayfinding are being progressed, alongside continued feedback from patients and staff to refine the service.
Looking ahead, Sentinel Park will play a key role in future service developments. A new digital pre-assessment tool will launch on Monday 1 June 2026, which is expected to increase capacity by 30 to 40 percent.
Additional developments include new care coordination roles, expanded clinic capacity and more specialist support such as learning disability clinics, prehabilitation services and closer integration of pharmacy and specialist nursing teams.
The site also provides space for future expansion, ensuring it can continue to meet growing demand and support long-term transformation of outpatient services.
Sentinel Park is expected to become a key part of the elective recovery programme for the Trust, which is part of Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin Community and Hospitals NHS Group, and wider plans to modernise care in line with the NHS 10-Year Plan.