The Health Secretary, Wes Streeting has promised more Government support, investment and scrutiny for Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital Trust, in response to a question in Parliament by Telford MP Shaun Davies.
In his question, Telford’s MP highlighted the longstanding performance challenges at the local Trust, but also praised the early actions the Government has taken and the recent progress made by the Trust in addressing these issues, with waiting times now decreasing.
Telford’s MP also highlighted the groundbreaking plans for Telford’s first-ever cancer treatment unit, a project backed by the Lingen Davies Cancer Fund. Shaun has previously expressed his full support for the charity’s campaign, recognising its vital role in raising both awareness and funds to make this much-needed facility a reality which will ensure that local patients no longer have to travel long distances for essential cancer treatment.
Shaun asked the Secretary of State in the Commons yesterday for assurances that the Government will help the SaTH continue its trajectory of improvement through investment in innovation and infrastructure.
In response,, Wes Streeting MP said: “[Shaun] deserves real credit for championing Telford and Shropshire, and helping to get the Trust the investment it needs. He’s right that local services haven’t been good enough for a number of years. We’re not going to turn a blind eye to that failure, we’re going to do something about it. There’s a long way to go, but we’ve already delivered an extra 94,000 appointments and cut waiting lists by over 14,000 at his local Trust since the general election. So a lot done, but lots more to do.”
The Government recently announced plans to drive up standards in underperforming Trusts such as Shrewsbury and Telford, by publishing Trust league tables and providing targeted support to Trusts like SaTH. The Trust has recently set out plans to spend millions of pounds of investment into the transformation of hospital services and recorded their best ever junior doctor recruitment campaign.
Nationally, the Government has recruited 8,000 additional GPs and delivered 2 million extra appointments since entering office in July 2024 – with the best-performing trusts set to benefit from £40m extra funding.
Shaun Davies, MP for Telford, said: “The challenges we face with NHS services here in Telford are significant, in fact we have a mountain to climb, and like many of you, me and my family depend on them too. We all deserve better which is why I continue to raise these concerns at the highest levels and push for the improvements Telford urgently need, whether in the House of Commons or in meetings with Health Ministers and health bosses. We are beginning to see signs of progress and our NHS staff continue to do an incredible job, day in and day out. Thankfully, the Health Secretary shares my commitment – we know there’s still a long way to go, but both I and the Government will keep fighting for the higher standards that Telford and wider Shropshire deserve.”
