We are currently half way through the 14-week public consultation on the future of NHS services in Shropshire and it's incredibly important that the people of Montgomeryshire take the opportunity to have their say in order to be able to get the best deal for the people of North Powys.
I can't stress enough how important it is for the people of Montgomeryshire to respond to this consultation to ensure that our voice is heard loud and clear amidst the views of the more populated areas such as Telford.
I have been unashamedly in favour of the preferred option which has been put forward by the Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin clinical commissioning groups. This option would see an Emergency Centre located in Shrewsbury which is centrally located to serve the healthcare needs of the wider region and those of us here in Montgomeryshire.
Under this proposed model, Telford’s Princess Royal Hospital would take on responsibility for providing planned care. Planned Care is treatment or surgery which is booked in advance and not an emergency. Patients are often referred for planned care by a GP.
It is crucial in my view that the Emergency Centre (as recommended) is located in Shrewsbury. However, this option would also mean than some planned care services would move further away from Mid Wales, moving to the Princess Royal in Telford. The planned surgery we receive at Gobowen is not affected, and nor are most of the outpatient appointments, outpatient procedures and scans we currently receive at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital. But, more of our day case surgery and routine planned surgery, as well as endoscopy, would move.
I firmly believe that the proposed reconfiguration of services in Shropshire, help us in Powys to firm up our case for some planned care to be delivered locally in our local community hospitals in Llanidloes, Newtown, Welshpool and Machynlleth.
I think this could include local endoscopy facilities, more use of video and remote technology to prevent the need to travel out of county see a consultant, and even daycase surgical procedures such as cataract operations.
NHS services should be delivered as close as possible to home and I have previously called on the Welsh Government to allocate additional funding for minor injury units and develop a Community Hospital Development Fund to encourage the innovative use of community hospitals across rural Wales. I have raised this previously with both the First Minister and the Welsh Cabinet Secretary for Health and will be looking for the Welsh Government to revisit this suggestion following changes to healthcare across the border in Shropshire.
In my view, there’s absolutely no reason for patients to travel significant distances for some planned care procedures when this type of elective healthcare can be delivered locally, making community hospitals more sustainable. This is a golden opportunity for us to improve planned healthcare services in Mid Wales.
Returning to the important issue of healthcare in Shropshire, this consultation has been a long time coming but now that it is here, we all need to ensure that we get the right result for the current and future healthcare needs of the people of Powys for today's generation and for generations to come.
Please ensure you complete this consultation without delay. You can complete online atwww.nhsfuturefit.org or call 0300 3000 903 so a copy of the consultation can be posted to you.
The consultation is open until 4th September and your response will have an influence on the final decision which is made so please make every effort to take part.
You can also complete my 2018 health survey by visiting www.russellgeorge.com/health