Doctors at Shropshire’s two acute hospitals believe proposals to separate emergency and planned care will significantly reduce cancelled hospital operations.
Mr Joe McCloud, Consultant Colorectal Surgeon at SaTH
The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust (SaTH) cancelled 775 planned hospital operations in theatres last year, with approximately half being because of a lack of beds, often due to last minute emergency demand.
The Trust’s Sustainable Services Programme proposes either the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital or the Princess Royal Hospital in Telford becomes the emergency site and the other hosts the majority of planned care.
Mr Joe McCloud, Consultant Colorectal Surgeon at SaTH, said: “By separating serious emergencies from planned care, it will mean patients who attend our hospitals for planned operations, such as hernia repairs, gall bladder surgery and hip replacements, won’t have their care affected by the need to prioritise seriously ill or injured emergency patients.
“Reducing disruption to planned care activity will reduce patient inconvenience and maximise productivity for the Trust. Providing the very best care to our patients is our only concern. We want two vibrant hospitals so we can deliver the very best care to our patients.”
Mr Ron Dodenhoff – Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon
Mr Ron Dodenhoff, Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon at SaTH, added: “It is no secret that emergency admissions rise during the cold winter period and that means we can expect a peak in the number of cancelled inpatient procedures over the next few months. However, if proposals to separate emergency and elective care go-ahead then this huge inconvenience to our patients should happen on a far less regular basis.
“We also believe that by going forward with the proposals we will make SaTH a Trust that will attract the very best consultants in the country. At the moment, we are often understaffed, with stretches resources. This means we have to prioritise emergency care and frequently we have to cancel hospital appointments and procedures.
“The current situation does not allow us to deliver the high quality care we would like to provide, which we as clinicians see as unacceptable. Unfortunately, as things stand, this is unavoidable.”