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. In the late Peter Corfield’s time as Chairman, this new build was ‘pulled’ by the Authority at the last minute, causing a good deal of anger and dismay within the local community.

The existing community hospital site is extremely restricted and the building has been recognised by the authorities as ‘not fit for purpose’. Maintenance costs are increasing yearly with vital equipment breaking down. The Community hospital is now only operating one ward, which seems to be ‘an overspill’ from the acute hospitals in Shrewsbury and Hereford, rather than being primarily for local people. Both acute hospitals are geographically difficult for patients to access for both routine and emergency care. The Hereford County hospital is also in a difficult location to access both for ambulances and the driving public.

The League believes that South Shropshire needs to have greatly improved healthcare services fit for the 21st century and beyond. Our  communities have significantly increased in size since Shrewsbury and Hereford hospitals were built, but local health facilities have not. Would anyone willingly want to wait for, and be in, an ambulance travelling 24 miles to Hereford or 29 miles to Shrewsbury hospitals?

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 e.g. scanner.  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.

Stuart Anderson has agreed to help facilitate a meeting with all relevant authorities, including the League of Friends, to promote locally based healthcare, with an enhancement of hospital services and for the new build on the EcoPark to take place. Most importantly, the EcoPark land is still owned by the NHS. 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 has no intention in recommending the re-location of the GP surgeries.

It is also disappointing that neither the ICB nor ShropCom have communicated with South Shropshire residents since the ‘Big Conversations’ in healthcare matters, which took place in 2022 at various locations around Shropshire. The League of Friends believes that the South Shropshire residents deserve better local healthcare provision – if South Shropshire has good infrastructure and public services in place, this can only be attractive to those considering moving to the locality, to both live and work here.

The current new government has invested billions of pounds in the NHS and it is therefore time that the Integrated Care Board and ShropCom consider the inadequacy of our local current healthcare facilities, away from the acute hospitals.

The League of Friends will continue to support the hospital and the community it serves, in order that ‘fit for purpose’ hospital facilities and services continue to be provided in Ludlow. 

It is vital that the public make their own voices heard with our local councillors, NHS Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin Integrated Care Board and Shropshire Community Health NHS Trust. 

Jennifer Gill and Michael Evans
Co-Chairs, The League of Friends, Ludlow Community Hospital