Happy 2016 – Out with the old, in with the new – well maybe not.

It’s all change at the Shropshire Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) and their latest flash of the obvious is “one of the things we really want to look at is how we utilise our community hospitals.

We want to increase the offer of services they have”.

The incoming regime will no doubt be aware that the community and cottage hospitals throughout Shropshire were brutally pruned and closed years ago to enable the local health economy to “afford” the new hospital in Telford – and that residents in rural areas, such as Ludlow, have frankly had enough.

Constant reviews and promises, which then are retracted because “when I came to look at the finances it became apparent that some of the …plans …were optimistic” have become the norm over the past 10 years and we are tired of this unending display of incompetence, indecision and criminal waste of money.

As one resident put it in 2006 “At the age of 71 I am now afraid to go to see my doctor in case I have to go by train elsewhere. I hope I die quickly from a sudden heart attack and require no NHS support.”

On a positive note, The League of Friends has funded the provision of ultrasound scanning equipment for Ludlow Hospital at a cost of £65,000.

This means fewer patients trekking to Shrewsbury, Telford or Hereford.

The threatened loss of the audiology clinic has been prevented by The League paying £4,700 for a sound-proof booth to be installed at Ludlow.

Obviously without these and other significant contributions it is unlikely that Ludlow Hospital would survive.

In a way the CCG is correct – “we have to work together”. No more claptrap - please just get on with it!