Warmest thanks have been extended to health and care colleagues from Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin, after a visit from the Chair of NHS England, Richard Meddings CBE on Tuesday 25 and Wednesday 26 June. 

Visiting the brand new Highley Health and Wellbeing Centre in the south of the county and the Hospitals Transformation Programme (HTP) site at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital (RSH), Richard, and his PA Emma Perllman, were greeted by leadership colleagues to share important insights into the work of the ICB and local health and care system. 

Visiting Highley, Richard was introduced to the GP team and Clinical Director of the South-East Shropshire PCN, Dr Jess Harvey, to discuss the transition of GP and PCN services to the new practice location at Halo Severn Centre, as well as the continuity of care for patients. During the visit, there was also time to speak more frankly about current pressures across the NHS including GP access, financial difficulties, the potential for investment in primary and community, prevention, as well as the benefits of virtual wards.  

On the second day of his visit, Richard met with colleagues from The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital Trust, including Louise Barnett, Chief Executive, Dr John Jones, Medical Director, Dr Ed Rysdale, Emergency Medicine Consultant and Clinical Lead for HTP, Matthew Neal, Director of HTP, and Dr Chris Mowatt, Clinical Director for Critical Care.  

The group toured the RSH site to give an understanding of the scale and size of the new four-storey expansion of healthcare facilities. The group also showed Richard the construction and reconfiguration currently taking place within Ward 29 and Ward 30, which is adjacent to the existing Emergency Department at RSH. This space is being transformed into much-needed facilities, providing four larger, additional resuscitation bays and part of the expanded ‘majors’, which provides care for patients who need urgent treatment or investigations. 

This means that under the new clinically led model of care, those with serious, life or limb threatening conditions will be seen, assessed and cared for quicker by the right specialist clinician who will be all based in the same location.  

Speaking about the visit, Richard said: “The whole visit was very enlightening. I was particularly grateful for the opportunity to interact with Dr Jess Harvey at the Highley Medical Practice but also to hear about the great work that the Shropshire and Telford Wrekin Councils are doing in partnership with the Spotlight on Homeless Project and the Veterans Service within The Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital.  

“It was also helpful to see the absolutely transformational hospital construction project and hear directly from the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust leadership team about the current pressures they are dealing with and to better understand how I might be able to support. In my role as Chair of NHSE it is always helpful to meet colleagues dealing with the pressures on the front line and I thank everyone for the warm welcome.”