Hospitals to gain new beds this winter
A major financial boost for the county’s two main hospitals will help to improve access to urgent and emergency care for patients in Telford and across Shropshire. The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust (SaTH) is investing in Princess Royal Hospital (PRH) and Royal Shrewsbury Hospital (RSH) to create additional inpatient beds and assessment spaces ahead of the winter period.
The investment aims to ensure patients receive the correct care in the appropriate location. At the Princess Royal Hospital in Telford, this involves an expansion of acute assessment and same day emergency care, creating 40 new assessment spaces. PRH will also receive a new Frailty Same Day Emergency Care (SDEC) unit, which will support more vulnerable and frail patients.
Meanwhile, construction is currently underway on two new modular wards at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital. These will provide 56 additional inpatient beds.
Dr Saskia Jones-Perrott, Divisional Medical Director for Medicine and Emergency Care, welcomed the news. She said the changes would “help to reduce waiting times for admissions into hospital and improve access to emergency care.”
Dr Jones-Perrott added that expanding same day emergency care would increase the number of patients assessed and treated on the day of arrival, reducing waits or the need for a hospital stay. “We know this is much better for our patients, particularly those who are frail and more vulnerable,” she stated.
Ned Hobbs, Chief Operating Officer at SaTH, said this represented a “significant step” in improving patient care. He recognised the existing challenges.
“We recognise that too many of our patients currently wait too long,” Mr Hobbs admitted. “We expect our patients to begin to see the positive impact of these changes this winter and beyond.”
Lorna Clarson, Chief Medical Officer for the NHS Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin, highlighted that improving urgent and emergency care is a priority for the entire local health and care system.
The increase in assessment spaces at PRH has been made possible by reconfiguring existing wards, including the re-use of the former rehabilitation and recovery ward on Ward 36.
