A FURTHER consultation is to take place on the future of health services in Ludlow and south Shropshire.

Health leaders have to support moving towards public consultation on all clinically and financially viable options.

This includes a preferred option of the emergency care site at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital and planned care site at the Princess Royal Hospital.

This is not a final decision on the shape of hospital services and there are a number of steps before public consultation can begin.

The decision was made by a joint committee of NHS Shropshire Clinical Commissioning Group and NHS Telford & Wrekin Clinical Commissioning Group.

A joint committee was formed of board members from the two clinical commissioning groups, two independent clinical panel members who are senior hospital consultants, and an independent chair. All were voting members.

Following the joint committee, and in line with best practice, assurance will be sought from local scrutiny boards and the NHS England assurance processes prior to going to public consultation.

Independent clinical consultants on the joint committee have given assurance that the evidence they reviewed shows the process has been clinically led and is in the best interests of patients.

When a formal public consultation is launched, the clinical commissioning groups will ask local people their views on which hospital would become the Emergency Care site and which hospital would become the planned care site.

Health leaders are also offering reassurance that under the proposals women and children would still receive the majority of care and treatment in the same place as they do now.

It is vital, however, say the health chiefs, that women and children’s high risk services when women and children need to stay in hospital overnight or need specialist care are based alongside the emergency care site.