Future Fit
The transformation of local hospital services is now in the hands of local people with a 14-week Future Fit public consultation closing on 4 September 2018.
Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) are asking for the views of people across Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin and mid Wales on the following two options:
Having a single Emergency Care site would mean that specialist doctors can treat the most serious cases in a dedicated emergency department, which is proven to be safer, provide better results for patients and reduce the amount of time people have to stay in hospital. Having a dedicated Planned Care site would mean that patients will wait less time for their appointments and beds would be protected for planned operations, meaning that is highly unlikely operations will be cancelled due to emergency admissions. Under either option, the proposals mean that the county will keep the full range of services already offered with high quality, state-of-the-art care for patients available at two vibrant local hospitals.
Dr Simon Freeman, Accountable Officer, NHS Shropshire CCG said: “Over the last four and a half years, we’ve listened to what local people have told us about the services and care they expect us to offer at the two hospitals in the future. We understand people’s frustration at the time it has taken to reach this point. However, we are now urging people to take the opportunity to formally have their say, so that we can consider their views and any changes we may need to make to our proposed plans before making any decisions.”
Mr David Evans, Chief Officer, NHS Telford & Wrekin CCG, said: “A formal public consultation is the way the NHS has to seek people’s views on significant changes to services. Over the next 14 weeks we will be working hard to make sure that people understand the issues we need to solve and the proposed changes we need to hear their views on. It’s important that people share with us what the options mean for them and what we need to consider putting in place or changing so that they can receive the best possible care in the future.”
To help explain the proposed changes and give local people the chance to find out more, the CCGs have developed a wide range of consultation materials, videos, a new website and are arranging and attending events and meetings in public, including eight public exhibitions.
Materials include a full consultation document, a summary document, Easy Read versions, Word and large print versions. All these materials, along with answers to the most frequently asked questions, videos and an online survey, are available to view at a new website: www.nhsfuturefit.org Paper copies of the consultation documents will also be made available at both hospitals and at public and community venues across the area.
The eight public exhibitions will allow people to drop in anytime from 3.30pm to 7.30pm, meet doctors, nurses and other healthcare staff, ask questions and find out more about the proposals.
There will also be a series of pop-up style roadshows at community and public venues and the CCGs will be attending a range of meetings and events providing regular updates and answering questions. All meetings and events will be publicised on the website www.nhsfuturefit.org and in the local media.
There are several ways you can take part in the consultation:
- Fill out our survey online on our website nhsfuturefit.org
- Complete the survey, which is available in the consultation documents and post it free of charge to FREEPOST NHS FF CONSULTATION
- Write to us at: FREEPOST NHS FF CONSULTATION
- Email us: nhsfuturefit@nhs.net
- Call us to request materials: 0300 3000 903 (24-hour answer machine)
- Follow us on social media
- Twitter: @NHSFutureFit
- Facebook: facebook.com/nhsff
STP Programme Manager
