Latest news with #SaTH
BBC News
30-05-2025
- General
- BBC News
Shropshire hospital trust launches dedicated home birth team
A dedicated home birth service has been launched by a Shropshire NHS trust. Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust (SaTH) announced that a team of seven midwives will provide 24-hour care to women and their families in Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin, and Mid Wales who choose to give birth at who opt to use the service will have a named midwife who will provide their antenatal and postnatal care. Tasha Simmons from SaTh said although the trust already offered home births, the dedicated team meant "greater personalised care" could be provided. "Families will get to know our team throughout pregnancy, and their experience will centre on collaborative decision-making and on birth preferences being safely supported."The trust said two midwives, including at least one from the new team wherever possible, would attend during labour. Paula Gardener, interim chief nursing officer, added: "Having a dedicated team of midwives ready to support the birth preferences of families in our communities means continuity of care and an opportunity for strong and trusting relationships to be forged". Follow BBC Shropshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
Powys County Times
25-05-2025
- Health
- Powys County Times
Shrewsbury and Telford NHS Trust reaches milestone in study
A £1 million research study in Telford has reached a major milestone in its aim to revolutionise the diagnosis of colorectal cancer. The trial, run by The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust (SaTH), has now recruited more than 500 patients from Shropshire, Telford, and Wrekin. The study aims to reduce the amount of time patients are waiting for a colorectal cancer diagnosis. The TRIOMIC study is developing a new test which aims to reduce the number of patients who need an invasive colonoscopy. It will also be held outside of a hospital setting, at the CDC in Hollinswood House, Stafford Park. Over 500 symptomatic patients on the colorectal urgent suspected cancer pathway at SaTH have been recruited for a new test, which is quick and pain-free, using the Oricol™ device to collect rectal mucus samples. The samples are then tested at laboratories for abnormal cells from cancer and significant polyps. If successful, eight in ten patients will find out within five days of the test that they do not have cancer, avoiding the need for a 45-minute colonoscopy with full bowel preparation and a separate hospital visit. The new technology is enhancing the patient experience, reducing pressure on overstretched staff, and lowering costs for SaTH, which operates the county's acute hospitals and CDC. Origin Sciences has funded the staff and capital costs to support the development of the new pathway – three clinic rooms have been set up at the CDC and 14 staff members have been recruited. This is one of more than 50 research studies under way at SaTH, with thousands of patients taking part in these trials each year. The findings from these studies are helping to shape the future of healthcare both in the area and potentially around the world. Dr John Jones, executive medical director, said: "Research and innovation helps us to determine the best treatments and play a vital role in the care we deliver. "We are always looking for opportunities to improve, whether it is how we transform surgical care, reducing screening waiting times through working differently, or trialling new processes to reduce waste. "Embracing new ways of working can make a real difference to the care we provide."
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
'Government must speed up maternity care changes'
Ex-Conservative MP Theo Clarke has criticised the government for its lack of progress in improving maternity care in England and Wales. Ms Clarke has campaigned on the issue since making an emotional speech in the House of Commons in 2023 about her own maternity experience and also chaired an All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) that made recommendations. The former MP for Stafford suffered severe blood loss and needed emergency surgery following a 40-hour labour to deliver her daughter, at the Royal Stoke University Hospital in 2022. She has now written a book, detailing her own harrowing experience, in a bid to help other women. Ms Clarke launched the memoir "Breaking The Taboo - Why We Need to Talk About Birth Trauma" in London on Tuesday evening. She said: "[The government] appear to have been under the misapprehension that I would disappear when I lost my seat - that is not going to happen". Speaking on the book's publication day, Ms Clarke told the BBC she never expected to be writing a memoir about being a new MP and having a baby during her time in office. "I hope by me sharing my story of my traumatic birth, it allows other mothers to feel seen and heard and listened to and that was very much the point of me writing it," she added. Ms Clarke also called on the government to bring in the cross-party recommendations of the birth trauma inquiry, which called for an overhaul of the UK's maternity and postnatal care. "The government has been in power now for 10 months and we've had no major announcements on maternity," she said. The Birth Trauma Inquiry, published in May 2024, included evidence from more than 1,300 women who had experienced traumatic births. Ms Clarke added there was still "so much to do" to improve maternity care for women. "There seems to be a real shame and a stigma about issues in women's health and we don't talk about them enough and certainly not in Parliament - so I hope by me very publicly sharing my story has helped make that difference," she said. "We've got to improve and standardise maternity care across the UK and that's the point of my campaign and that's why I've written a book about it." Ms Clarke was joined at the launch by senior midwife Donna Ockenden, who conducted the independent review into the baby deaths scandal at the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust (SaTH) and is currently chairing an inquiry into maternity care in Nottinghamshire. Ms Ockenden, who wrote the foreword for the book, said: "Three years ago the then Secretary of State Sajid Javid agreed to implement my recommendations, but in the intervening years not enough has happened". Earlier this month, it was reported that of the £100m allocated to improve maternity care in the aftermath of the SaTH inquiry, only £2m is ring-fenced this year to be spent on maternity services, In response however, the Department of Health (DoH) said progress was being made. "[This is] across a number of the recommendations from the APPG on Birth Trauma, including achieving 5.8% increase in the number of midwives," it said in a statement. It added that this week it had announced a rollout of a national NHS training programme to reduce the number of brain injuries during childbirth. After she lost her seat in 2024 General Election, Ms Clarke launched a podcast on the topic of birth trauma and interviewed campaigners and other women who had also experienced traumatic births. A number of women from across the country also feature in her book, including Molly Hunter, a mum of three, who lives in Staffordshire. Ms Hunter has endured a number of missed miscarriages - a pregnancy that has failed, but the body hasn't started the process of miscarriage - and said she wanted to share her story to try and make a difference. "My contribution to albeit small, shares a different angle because a lot of the book is focussing on birth trauma and for my second, third, fourth and fifth pregnancies, I had the miscarriages and never got to the stage where I was able to bring my baby home," she said. "Theo is breaking the taboo, talking about the issues that so many women suffer from and I think she has done such an important job. "I think going through a miscarriage is a very very lonely process." Ms Hunter hoped the book would "highlight the postcode lottery" that determined the care that women received. A survey by Mumsnet in April found that the vast majority of mothers had experienced physical or psychological birth trauma, of which 53% said they were less likely to have more children because of their experience of maternity care. The Tory government agreed to implement the recommendations of Theo's Birth Trauma APPG report last year, however nine days later the general election was called. "In the turmoil that followed, the government let down women, three years on I'm still working, the government must listen," said Ms Ockenden. "We are all born and we are all affected by this." The DoH accepts there is more to be done. "Through our Plan for Change, we are transforming the NHS, training thousands more midwives and have set an explicit target to close the Black and Asian maternal mortality gap," it said. Ms Clarke said: "The campaign is not over and I am very unhappy that they have not adopted all of our recommendations". Follow BBC Stoke & Staffordshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram. MP breaks down recalling 'terrifying' birth trauma
Powys County Times
08-05-2025
- Health
- Powys County Times
Shrewsbury hospital park & ride service to be made permanent
The Park & Ride bus service at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital (RSH) is be made permanent after a successful trial. The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust (SaTH), Shropshire Council and Arriva launched the trial in January, allowing patients and visitors to use the existing staff bus service. Now, they will have full access from Monday, May 19, with a return journey costing £1. Holders of a disabled person's bus pass and children under the age of 16 will be able to travel for free. Buses will run every 15 to 20 minutes between 6.20am to 9.25pm from the car park at the Oxon Park & Ride site to the Treatment Centre, which is the current main entrance of the hospital. RECOMMENDED READING: There is currently no service on Saturdays, Sundays and Bank Holidays. 'We have been really pleased with the feedback from our patients during the trial and we are delighted to be able to offer this as a permanent option going forward,' said Paula Gardner, interim chief nursing officer at SaTH. 'We know that having an alternative to trying to find a parking space on site has been the biggest benefit to our patients. 'This is a great service for those who are able to use it. Using the Park & Ride is quick and easy and has the benefit of freeing up spaces for those who need to park at RSH. 'We will continue to look at all the ways we can improve parking on-site at our hospitals, leading to a better patient experience.' Heather Kidd, leader-elect of Shropshire Council, added: 'I'm delighted that this trial service has proved to be both successful and popular and that it will shortly become permanent. It really does mean that patients and visitors don't have to worry about driving to, or parking at, the hospital and I hope people will continue to make good use of it in the future.' Buses can be used any time from 6.20am to 9.25pm. People are advised that, as it is also a staff service, buses before 10am and after 3pm will be busier.
BBC News
07-04-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Shropshire hospital car parking charges rise by more than 50%
Parking charges at hospitals in Shropshire have increased by more than 50% for visitors and patients staying for up to two parking at Royal Shrewsbury Hospital, Princess Royal Hospital in Telford and William Farr House for that amount of time will now have to pay £5.50 - up from £3.50 person told the BBC the move was "disgraceful" and said they feared patients could get fewer Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust (SaTH) said the increase had been brought in to pay to maintain, upgrade and run the car parks. The changes will not affect blue badge holders and patients with certain conditions where regular visits are necessary will also be free. Any excess money will be invested in frontline services, as well as alternatives like the free park and ride scheme, hospital bosses said.A spokesperson said it was the first time charges had gone up since 2021 and was due to rising costs and essential upgrades. Another person reacted by: "If you've got someone who is dreadfully sick [at the hospital] it's just dreadful to keep on paying that amount", while someone else called it a "rip-off". 'Really helpful' Lynn Cawley, Chief Officer at Shropshire Healthwatch, an independent consumer organisation, said she understood why patients might be concerned but said support was available, including NHS low income schemes. "If you know someone is going to be in hospital for more than three days, you can apply for a concession which is 10 visits for £8.50."It was really helpful for me and my family. The ward would need to sign to say that is the case and the car park attendant will help you manage the payment."Concessions are also available for patients receiving renal dialysis or cancer treatment, people visiting the hospital for issues connected to bereavement or parents of sick children staying overnight. The new charges are: Up to 20 mins FreeUp to 1 hour £4.00Up to 2 hours £5.50Up to 3 hours £6.50Up to 4 hours £7.5024 hours £9.50Paula Gardner, interim chief nursing officer at the trust, added: "We have not taken this decision to increase parking charges lightly. "We remain committed to providing the best experience for our patients and visitors." Follow BBC Shropshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
