Plans to transform our acute hospital services through the Hospitals Transformation Programme (HTP) received final national approval in May 2024 This multimillion pound investment will bring high quality, sustainable care and fewer delays for everyone We will use this investment wisely, establishing solid and sustainable foundations to make further improvemen
The clinical model
Both our hospitals will continue to provide a number of services, which include:
Adult and children's outpatients
Urgent care services and medical
Same Day Emergency Care (SDEC)
Diagnostics, imaging services
including X-ray
Frail and elderly care services
PRH will specialise in planned care and will have:
24/7 urgent care services
Diagnostic endoscopy
Planned inpatient surgery and medical and surgical emergency patients on a planned pathway of care
Day case surgery
Midwife led maternity unit
Enhanced rehab facilities and therapy
led wards
Cancer treatment day unit – aligned to HTP
R i t t t t t f t
RSH will specialise in emergency care and will have:
A modern, purpose-built Emergency Department
A new, expanded Critical Care Unit
Consultant led maternity care
Children’s inpatient services
Emergency medical specialist
Services, including cardiology, stroke,
respiratory and acute medicine
Emergency and trauma surgery
Head and neck inpatient services
Radiotherapy and inpatient and day
cancer care and treatment
Hospitals Transformation Programme
Winter - Spring 2025
How will this improve care for our patients?
Planned care
By having our planned care services in one hospital we can:
Reduce the number of cancelled operations and waiting times
Provide modern theatres to give a better environment for patients
Create a calmer environment, with unplanned, emergency care on another site
Reduce the risk of spreading infections
Emergency and urgent care
By having our emergency care services in one hospital we can:
Have a bigger and improved Emergency Department designed to meet the needs of our communities now and in the future
Provide faster access to the right care from the right teams that support emergency care
Make quicker decisions about patient care, with all the specialist teams on one site with the Emergency Department
Improve the working environment for our staff with modern facilities
Faster access to the right care and clinicians
An improved environment for our patients and staff
Buildings that support modern healthcare practices
Shorter waiting times for planned surgery
Continuous investment into both our hospital sites
Shorter hospital stays for our patients
Most patients will continue to use their local hospital, including for outpatient appointments and urgent care.
Hospitals Transformation Programme
Winter - Spring 2025
Urgent Treatment services at our hospitals
Urgent Treatment Centres (UTCs) will be available at both our hospitals and over two thirds of patients that currently use our Accident and Emergency Departments, will continue to do so in the Urgent Treatment Centres at their local hospital The UTC at Princess Royal Hospital (PRH) will be improved and and will provide timely access to urgent care for patients with minor injuries or minor illness Patients who need urgent care will receive faster access to the right clinicians as they will be separate to emergency patients
The UTC at PRH will:
Be open seven days a week, 24 hours a day
See both booked and walk-in patients
See minor injuries and illnesses - including fractures, cuts, stomach pain and scalds/burns
See patients of all ages, including children under two
Have investigative and diagnostic testing - including access to imaging and scans
Have support from medical Same Day Emergency Care (SDEC)
Offer frailty assessment 12 hours a day
Have support from medical and rehabilitation teams
“Our teams will be on hand to offer medical help 24 hours a day, seven days a week when it’s not a life-threatening emergency, allowing everyone to receive the right care, in the right place, at the right time.”
Dr Ed Rysdale, Emergency Medicine Consultant
Hospitals Transformation Programme
Winter - Spring 2025
More than a building - planning for the future
We have been working with our doctors, nurses, and other staff members to make access to our care as easy as possible We are also looking at our workforce and recruitment, to make sure we have the right number of staff. We are already seeing improvements in recruitment as these new ways of working will make SaTH a more attractive place to work
We are not working alone We know that for the programme to be successful, we need to work closely with other important programmes taking place across Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin and mid Wales This includes the Local Care Transformation Programme, means that patients will receive more responsive care suitable for them and their situation, they will also be empowered to make informed decisions and to help design their care This programme is led by the Integrated Care Board for Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin
The HTP funding provides a strong starting point to improve care for everyone and address our most significant challenges We are continuing to look for further opportunities to secure more funding and work with charitable partners to deliver our ambitions for the future and invest in both our hospitals
Working with our healthcare partners to provide more connected services to improve patient care This includes our future ambitions of an integrated health hub
Making our services more accessible by providing more community care
As part of this we have invested in a multimillion pound Planned Care Hub at PRH which opened in June 2024 and will provide thousands more operations every year We continue to invest in our Community Diagnostic Centre at Hollinswood House, Telford, which brings care including diagnostics closer to home for our patients
Continuing to look for further opportunities to get more funding and work with charities to deliver our long terms goals, which includes upgrading our wards, a respiratory centre at PRH, and cancer treatment unit at PRH
You can read our business case documentation, which includes our future ambitions: https://www shropshiretelfordandwrekin ics nhs uk/htp-outline-business-case/
Hospitals Transformation Programme
Winter - Spring 2025
Charitable support
The clinical model is fully funded but hospitals need to meet the evolving healthcare needs of the communities they serve Working in partnership with our communities, our partner charities strive to enhance the experience of all people using our services, with particular focus on some exciting developments – a Cancer Centre at PRH for Telford patients, a Respiratory Centre at PRH for all our patients in Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin and mid Wales We also hope to provide enhanced, landscaped “sky gardens” at RSH
Our fundraising campaign supports three key areas within our new building:
Supporting our future opportunities and ambitions to provide more services at both our hospitals Examples include the plans for a new cancer treatment centre at PRH, as well as the opportunity to develop a respiratory centre, also at PRH.
Creating a more positive environment. Healing and getting better is more than curing ailments –it is about creating a positive atmosphere for our patients and their loved ones This could be through calm spaces within our hospital or community artwork
The development of community spaces These spaces will be within the hospital or the grounds These might be sky gardens for our new Children’s Ward or Critical Care Unit, or a community garden
Our charity partners include SaTH Charitywww.sath.nhs.uk/charity sath charity@nhs net / 01743 492256
League of Friendswww rshlof org uk s hurdiss@nhs net / 01743 261007
Lingen Davieswww lingendavies co uk hello@lingendavies co uk / 01743 492396
Hospitals Transformation Programme
Winter - Spring 2025
Investing in Princess Royal Hospital
The new front entrance to Princess Royal Hospital (PRH), pictured below, opened in December 2023 This building was developed through private investment and has provided a new home for many of the administrative teams within PRH, who relocated from within the hospital This move created the space necessary to build the new Planned Care Hub, which opened in June 2024.
The Planned Care Hub is a £24million pound investment that provides day case surgery for patients across Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin and mid Wales, supporting communities to receive high quality, elective care all year round This significant investment is closely aligned to HTP and will substantially increase the number of day case operations that can take place meaning patients will also benefit from much shorter waiting times
Winter - Spring 2025
We will continue investment into Princess Royal Hospital and community services at our Community Diagnostic Hub, in Hollinswood House, Stafford Park Hollinswood House includes a blood testing service, x-ray and imaging services including an MRI scanner, and Renal dialysis, giving more options for care away from our hospitals.
Community Diagnostic Centre
Front entrance at PRH
Planned Care Hub at PRH
Hospitals Transformation Programme
Winter - Spring 2025
Construction progress
A new four-storey building is being constructed at the front of RSH, which will improve care for everyone through more modern healthcare facilities If you are visiting RSH soon, please be aware there are changes to how you access and travel around the site Please see our website for more information A significant amount of earth has been removed and our site transformed, as we clear the way for the new building near the old Outpatients entrance We are continuing to work with patients and volunteers as we support people to navigate their way through the changes We expect construction to be complete in 2028
Piling rigs have been on site and installed more than 760 concrete piles into the ground. This is the final stage of ground preparations before the foundations can be installed for the new building In December 2024 we had a crane delivered to the construction site The second crane will arrive onsite in March 2025
Click on the button above to watch a video tour of the new healthcare facilities
View of the crane at RSH
Aerial view of the construction site
Build progress at RSH
Hospitals Transformation Programme
Winter - Spring 2025
Construction work within our Emergency Department and adjacent wards
Works to modernise and redesign our Emergency Department (ED) are progressing well, with the first phase of work expected to be complete in March 2025 Main electrical infrastructure works are complete and the team are busy finishing off the final touches This phase of work will create new ED bays and the new resuscitation area. Following its completion the second phase of work will begin, remodelling other areas in the department including a new reception and paediatric triage rooms
Designed to meet future and current needs of the population, the expanded RSH ED will have:
Larger and purpose-built resuscitation bays
Larger ED bays with improved ventilation and improved clinical adjacencies
A larger ambulance waiting area with covered canopy to improve patient experience during transfer
A separate children’s emergency medicine footprint, offering modern and purpose-built examination rooms and separate waiting area
Acute medical assessment unit - part of future works
New staff base within the resuscitation area - part of phase one
Hospitals Transformation Programme
Winter - Spring 2025
Social value
Our construction partners, Integrated Health Projects (IHP), have been supporting communities through a number of social value initiatives
Working with Shrewsbury Colleges Group, IHP have enrolled two young adults who are currently studying Design Planning and Surveying for Construction, in an industry-focused T-level placement
IHP have partnered with DFN Project Search and Shropshire Council to offer young people with learning disabilities and autism the opportunity to gain valuable work experience and paid employment
The social value work being undertaken by IHP goes beyond construction-based activities As part of their pledge to create community impact across Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin and mid Wales, IHP have donated to local community charities, including the Shropshire Youth Support Trust
The Trust’s contractors are committed to using sustainable supply chains, including at least 50% local labour and 70% local suppliers within Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin and mid Wales
In the coming months, IHP will be opening their doors to a community workspace, located at the construction site. The space can be used by local educators and organisations within the region to upskill those interested in a career in construction This includes pre-employment courses, site open days, and obtaining CSCS cards all supported by IHP
IHP delivering Christmas gifts to SaTH Intern joins IHP as part of the project
Hospitals Transformation Programme
Winter - Spring 2025
Working closely with our communities
We are continuing to work closely with patients, colleagues, and the public to help inform our plans and designs
Some examples of this are:
Working with our focus groups to improve internal signage at RSH following the changes to the site
This includes walking times, floor vinyls, and wall mounted signage
Considering ‘calm spaces ’ , sensory maps, and a sensory room within the new build for visitors with neurodiverse needs
Additional features such as these will require charitable funding The team is beginning to work with charities to do this
Following input from patient representatives, additional wheelchairs and corridor seating have been ordered for RSH, recognising the increased walking distance for some Outpatient clinics.
We have redesigned the front entrance of the new building with two separate entrances, following feedback from the public
Example signage for new facilities
New floor signage at RSH
Please note - all artistic impressions are indicative and for illustration purposes only
Artist impression of new front entrance
Artist impression of a ‘calm space ’
Hospitals Transformation Programme
Winter - Spring 2025
How can you get involved?
Focus groups
We hold focus groups that will continue to meet regularly The groups, which will continue to meet over the next three years, are aligned to the clinical workstreams within the HTP programme and are:
Women and Children’s
Medicine, Emergency Care, Surgery, Anaesthetics, and Cancer
In addition to our two quarterly focus groups, we also hold bespoke focus groups on varying topics All upcoming focus groups can be found on our website here: https://bit ly/FocusGroup-HTP
‘About Health’ events
Every quarter we hold an online session for one hour with the HTP Team. They provide a short presentation on the latest developments and then provide an opportunity for members of the public to ask questions More information about these events are available on our website
Community drop-in sessions
Throughout the year we visit communities and areas across Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin and mid Wales These informal sessions offer members of the public a chance to find out more about the programme and ask any questions they may have More information about these events are available on our website
Find out more about the Hospitals Transformation Programme here: https://www.sath.nhs.uk/about-us/hospitals-transformation-programme/
