Surgery move plans to be dropped

Extra surgeons could now be employed at the Princess Royal Hospital

Controversial plans to move all major vascular surgery in Shropshire from a Telford hospital to one in Shrewsbury are to be dropped after a vote.

A hospital trust, NHS Telford and Wrekin, voted against the plans at a meeting on Monday afternoon.

Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital Trust had also previously rejected the plans.

However, Shropshire Primary Care Trust (PCT) backed the plans to move surgery from the Princess Royal Hospital to the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital.

A health care review which had previously been carried out said that unless changes were made to the vascular surgery services, fewer people would be able to be seen because of costs and staffing issues.

Most of the surgery is already done at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital.

Proposals including hiring an extra surgeon to keep the services going at both hospitals, will be considered.

Campaigners are fighting longer-term plans put forward by the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital Trust which include moving inpatient care for children and emergency surgery from the Princess Royal to the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital.