HEALTH CHIEF VISTS BISHOPS CASTLE AND CLUN
Initiative for radical new healthcare system for rural Shropshire.
Simon Freeman, the new CEO of the Shropshire Clinical Commissioning Group, can to visit South West Shropshire yesterday (Thursday 14 March) to see for himself the problems of delivering health care in rural Shropshire.
He was invited by three local Councillors Heather Kidd (Chirbury and Worthen), Jonny Keeley (Bishops Castle) and Nigel Hartin (Clun)
Heather said “I think today’s visit went very well. We had a tour of Bishops Castle, Clun and Newcastle on Clun showing Simon a brief glimpse of our sparse rurality.
“We followed this up with a meeting with Bishops Castle and the Clun Medical Practices and representatives of the Patients group and the League of Friends.
NEW METHODS
“The discussion was full of ideas to improve service delivery and efficiencies. Some great ideas on alternative working and new working models. Ideas for attracting new GP’s to our area were also discussed which is a challenge at present. Clun and Bishops Castle Doctors have faced difficulties recruiting in recent times. This is common across England.”
Local Doctors and surgery managers will work together with Simon Freeman and Shropshire Councils Public Health leader Prof. Rod Thomson to take this forward to provide different but better rural health services.
“This work could prove to be very exciting and innovative. I look forward to them sharing their work with us Councillors. Sometimes they will need to challenge the way NHS England work but these services need to start with the patient and then the rules should be set around that to provide good local and safe Health Care.” concluded Heather
.