'We're watching our hospital disappear' - Meeting to be held on Ludlow's 'deteriorating' health services
The mayor of Ludlow is urging health chiefs to attend a meeting next week to address concerns about the town’s community hospital.
Councillor Beverley Waite will host the public meeting in Oscars at the Ludlow Assembly Rooms at 6pm next Tuesday (February 4).
It is to discuss concerns that the hospital’s building and services "have been deteriorating" and are "not fit for purpose".
However, speaking at a Shropshire Council Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee on Monday (January 27), Councillor Waite said that, despite contacting the Shropshire Community Health NHS Trust (ShropCom) and all other relevant organisations, "everyone has refused to talk to us".
“Firstly, they said they would speak to us individually as groups,” said Councillor Waite.
“I contacted all of the groups that are coming to speak to us – the doctors and everybody else – and they’ve said that’s not what they want. They want to speak 'as a group'.
“So, I’ve now contacted ShropCom and said we want to speak as a group. They said, ‘yes we’re willing to do that but not until after the residents have said what they want'.
“What the residents want is a hospital that functions. They’re making it so expensive to run a clinic because there are so few appointments that eventually it will be too expensive to keep that hospital open for clinics and all of them will have to move up to Shrewsbury.
“Most of the residents are older, more vulnerable people. They won’t be able to make those clinics, and if they do, it will cost a lot more in ambulances to take them because they won’t be able to drive.
“Ludlow Hospital’s clinics are disappearing. Audiology is now one day a week, physiotherapy is dropping. Yes, they’ve got 24 beds open, but there used to be a lot more, and they’ve sold off part of the hospital which is now an arts venue.
“We’re watching our hospital disappear, and we can’t do that.”
There were hopes that a new hospital could be built at the Eco Park on the outskirts of the town but that proposal was reportedly ‘pulled at the last minute'.
However, the League of Friends at Ludlow Community Hospital say that South Shropshire MP Stuart Anderson has agreed to help facilitate a meeting with all relevant authorities, which includes ensuring that the new build at the Eco Park can take place.
“Most importantly, the Eco Park land is still owned by the NHS,” said Jennifer Gill and Michael Evans, co-chairs of the League of Friends.
“Additionally, technological developments in medicine will have been enhanced over the years and these can offer huge benefits in preventive, routine and elective health care.
“The League of Friends, over a period of the last three years, has been meeting and corresponding with the Integrated Care Board (ICB) and ShropCom about, both, an enhancement of services at the hospital and also to champion a new hospital build on the existing EcoPark originally set aside for that purpose.
“Unfortunately, the League is now in a position whereby the ICB and ShropCom have not replied to its letters during 2024.
“For example, the League believes that establishing ENT and respiratory clinics at the hospital would be of enormous benefit to the more elderly population, as well as ensuring any irreparable equipment at the hospital is replaced in a timely manner.
“As a result, the League met with our local MP, Stuart Anderson, with the hope that he can make a difference for South Shropshire in terms of essential local good healthcare provision, which at present is wholly inadequate.”
In a joint statement, the ICB and ShropCom said: “The services provided at and from Ludlow Hospital continue to be a vital part of our long-term integrated health and care plans and we are committed to working with partners to develop our local offer.
“Going forward, we will continue to work together, as NHS providers and commissioners, to seek opportunities to further develop services to meet the needs of local people now and in the future.
“Alongside this, we are developing plans for engaging and involving local people to understand and respond to their needs when designing future services. We are currently in contact with key interested parties and look forward to working collaboratively with them, the local community, and stakeholders.”
