Plans to give bosses at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital greater freedom to improve services for patients have been put on hold amid constantly disappointing financial troubles, the Chronicle can reveal.
The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust had intended to apply for Foundation Trust status by next year – giving the public a greater say on how services were run. It would also mean bosses have increased managerial and financial autonomy away from government.
For FT status to be granted, the trust needs to prove it is financially stable. But due to recent disappointing financial reports which show the hospital’s finances have a ‘red’ rating, the application has been delayed for two years.
In a report from November’s trust board meeting, member Barry Simms said: “Financial figures were constantly disappointing and it has been apparent for some time that the trust was not sufficiently in control of payroll costs.”
The quarterly integrated performance report to the same meeting shows the target of achieving NHS Foundation Trust status by 2011 is ‘on hold’.
A new revised timetable of the trust’s FT application was handed over to Government Health Secretary Andrew Lansley and the regional health authority this week by trust chairman, Dr John Davies.
The new plan outlines the milestones and expected progress over the next two years ahead of the Government’s aim for all NHS trusts to become Foundations by 2013.
Adam Cairns, chief executive at the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust, said the decision had been made to delay the application to focus instead on improving service delivery.
“We are currently considering proposals to reconfigure the way we provide some of our services to ensure they remain safe, sustainable and of a high quality for our patients,” he said.
“These proposals will be considered by the trust board, as well as the boards of Shropshire Primary Care Trust and NHS Telford and Wrekin, later this week and if approved will go out to full public consultation shortly after.
“My goal is for us to become a successful organisation that we can all be proud of, that aims to provide safe, effective, dignified care – every time. If we do this with real energy and determination then we will become a Foundation Trust by 2013.”
Meanwhile Trust bosses are due to meet tomorrow, Friday, to consider a number of proposals to change where services including consultant maternity and neonatal paediatric care are delivered.
Shrewsbury currently serves as the centre for women and children’s services but if plans are given the go-ahead, patients would have to travel to Telford’s Princess Royal Hospital.
The RSH would continue to offer midwife-led maternity care but more complicated deliveries would be carried out at Telford.
The ideas have been put forward to end duplication of services at the two linked sites and turning them into “centres of excellence” to secure their long term future.
Following tomorrow’s meeting the proposals will go out to further consultation to run until March.
By David Seadon