A major development to cancer services at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital is set to start later this spring, thanks to the generosity of local communities through the Lingen Davies Cancer Appeal
Dr Srihari, consultant clinical oncologist and newly appointed Cancer Chief for The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust, said:
“Firstly, I would like to extend my deepest thanks to everyone who has helped to raise the fantastic amount of £3.2m for the Lingen Davies Cancer Centre Appeal.
"I also want to reassure fundraisers that we will be providing everything we said the money would be spent on - a new outpatient unit for haematology, chemotherapy and head and neck cancer patients, and improved head and neck cancer inpatient services including en-suite facilities.
“The money raised by Lingen Davies will be used for a major new development to the Cancer Centre at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital.
"This is not part of the ‘Keeping It in the County’ consultation and work is due to start on this in the Spring.
"The only change since the appeal started is that we are currently consulting on proposals to keep safe and sustainable hospital services in the county. As part of the consultation, it is proposed that head and neck inpatient surgery will move to the Princess Royal Hospital. This means that the majority of head and neck cancer patients will continue to receive most of their care as now, including chemotherapy, radiotherapy and outpatient services in improved facilities at the RSH thanks to these generous donations. About two to three patients each week need head and neck inpatient cancer surgery requiring overnight stay in our hospitals. In the 'Keeping It In The County' consultation it is proposed that this will be at the Princess Royal Hospital. A decision on the location for this care will be made following consultation, and we guarantee that this will include en suite facilities for head and neck cancer surgery inpatients.”
Adam Cairns, Chief Executive of The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust, added:
“In order to address the very real risks facing children' services, and the deteriorating women and children's building at RSH, we are also proposing that children’s inpatient services will move to the Princess Royal. This will include a new children’s cancer unit. I know that the Rainbow Children's Cancer Unit is an excellent facility that is highly regarded by the local community and it has provided a fantastic service over the last six years. But, it is attached to a building that does not have a long term future and we must plan to move clinical services within five to ten years. However, I can assure you that, if the proposals go ahead, we will provide an even better children’s cancer facility at the Princess Royal, carrying on the incredible legacy and superb standards from the fundraisers and families who helped to create it. This will also include strengthening our links with regional specialist hospitals with the aim of bringing more services more local.
“As part of the proposals the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital will continue to have a vibrant role and a long term future. For example, alongside its specialist cancer facilities it would also develop as a centre for acute surgery for Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin and mid Wales, for colorectal, upper gastro-intestinal and vascular inpatient surgery, helping to keep the services safe and sustainable and keep them in the county.
"This week we have also moved a step closer to establishing a Screening Centre for abdominal aortic aneurysm screening at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital, but we will only be able to do this if we move to a single site for inpatient vascular surgery at the RSH."