CHANGES to the ambulance cover for Ludlow and south Shropshire have been finalised.

West Midlands Ambulance Service and Shropshire Clinical Commissioning Group have resolved issues arising from the reconfiguration of services at Royal Shrewsbury Hospital and Telford’s Princess Royal Hospital.

Shropshire CCG has been developing new models of care, and issues around changes to ambulance conveyance in the short term, caused by the site change for both surgery and stroke services, have now been resolved.

The ambulance service recently changed its service in south Shropshire, replacing Rapid Response Vehicles (RRVs) in Craven Arms with 24 hour Double Crewed Emergency Ambulances.

This will complement the existing RRV in Ludlow, and will be supported by a further 24 hour Double Crewed Emergency Ambulance in Leominster that will cover areas of south Shropshire that border Herefordshire.

“It is good news for south Shropshire residents that WMAS has taken these steps to improve ambulance availability and therefore the safety of patients,” said Philip Dunne MP.

“This should help reduce waiting times for patients in rural south Shropshire being conveyed to hospital.

"I know that WMAS has sought to resolve issues surrounding changes to the provision of care at Shrewsbury and Telford Hospitals, so I am pleased to hear that an agreement has now been reached with Shropshire CCG which will support WMAS’s work in Shropshire.”