Telford and Shrewsbury hospitals reorganisation plan deferred

Proposals to switch services or build a new hospital were also delayed earlier this year

Plans to reorganise hospital services in Shropshire have been put on hold over concerns about the finances of the two NHS groups involved.

Health bosses have proposed relocating services between Telford and Shrewsbury, as well as revamping provision across the county.

But a decision to recommend a location for a new A&E unit has been deferred.

Both Shrewsbury and Telford Hospitals NHS Trust and Shropshire's Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) are in debt.

At a meeting on Thursday, it was decided that more work needs to be done around the finances of both groups before a decision can be made, Shropshire CCG said.

'Still have opportunity'

In 2013, Peter Herring, the former chief executive of the trust, said it was unrealistic to keep A&E departments at both sites.

Three options were initially proposed to replace the two current A&E units in Telford and Shrewsbury, including building a single emergency centre, at either site, or at a newly built hospital somewhere in the county.

The third option was dropped earlier this year due to expense.

A spokesman for Shropshire CCG said on Thursday: "Work will be carried out developing outline business cases based on both Princess Royal Hospital and Royal Shrewsbury Hospital as the single emergency centre.

"We still have an opportunity to create something that will deliver for several decades to come. We plan to be able to say something further within the next month."