Trust issues winter plan to cut hospital admissions

The measures aim to keep people out of hospital and get them care over the winter

A series of improvements to help reduce unnecessary hospital visits while getting care to those who need it this winter have been introduced.

Proposals have been agreed by NHS Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin, Shropshire Council said.

Opening hours for urgent treatment centres have been extended, to open from 08:00 to 00:00 BST daily, to cut the number of people going to A&E departments.

Meanwhile, more beds and reconfigured wards have been introduced at both Royal Shrewsbury Hospital (RSH) and Princess Royal Hospital (PRH).

Extended hours elsewhere include:

• Enhanced urgent community response, which provides rapid home-based care to prevent hospital admissions, has been extended to midnight

• The care transfer hub, which coordinates hospital discharge, will now run from 17:00 to 20:00 daily

A team of nurses, GPs, therapists and social workers will also help patients get same-day support at home or in the community, operating seven days per week, from 08:00 to 20:00 BST.

Care workers will provide urgent, short-term home care to help people after being discharged from hospital.

'Practise self care'

Local NHS services will also be supported by the British Red Cross, offering practical and emotional support to patients leaving hospital.

"Winter is always a challenging time for the NHS," said Dr Lorna Clarson, chief medical officer at NHS Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin.

"We're putting in place a wide range of improvements across our hospitals, community teams and urgent care services so people can get faster, safer care and more can be supported at home.

"But we also need the public's help – simple actions like getting your flu and Covid vaccinations, choosing the right service, and practising self-care, can make a big difference to keeping our NHS running well this winter."