Fewer than 0.5pc join Future Fit discussion
Fewer than 0.5 per cent of people served by Shropshire’s hospitals have had their say on the Future Fit consultation, it has been revealed.
The people behind the public consultation on the future of Shropshire’s healthcare said that only about 2,445 people had responded so far, up from 1,515 people at the survey’s midpoint.
About 500,000 people are served by Shropshire’s two hospitals, the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital and Princess Royal in Telford.
Earlier this week clinicians rejected proposals to replicate the model in Northumbria and to create a third hospital to provide specialist emergency care.
Dr Simon Freeman, accountable officer for Shropshire Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), who chaired the programme board meeting, said although it would be the “best solution”, it would not be feasible.
“We’d like to encourage people to find out more about our proposals and have their say as part of the consultation,” he said.
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"It’s important people share with us what the options mean for them and what we need to consider putting in place or changing so they can receive the best possible care in the future.”
Of those responding, 61 per cent have been women and 34 per cent have been men. In a report on Future Fit up to its halfway point, it said: “Anecdotally, women are more likely to respond to health consultations on behalf of their families and the women and children’s element of the consultation may be prompting more women to respond.”
Nearly a quarter of those responding were aged between 59 and 69, with another 21 per cent aged over 70. Only three per cent of respondents were aged between 16 and 26. About 85 per cent of respondents were white British, with about five per cent identifying as Welsh.
Bosses said they would be working hard to reach a wider variety of various races and religious groups.
The report said: “Combined area data shows white British as 93.7 per cent compared to 84 per cent of survey respondents.”
Anyone interested in taking the survey should visit nhsfuturefit.org/get-involved
