Work to start on refurbishing doctors accommodation at Princess Royal Hospital
Work is to start this week on the refurbishment of three houses at the Princess Royal Hospital to accommodate its A&E doctors.
The hospital’s Accident and Emergency Department faces an overnight closure because of a shortage of the junior and middle grade doctors needed to keep it running round the clock.
Earlier this month as part of a package of measures to help prevent the closure, Cllr Shaun Davies, Leader of Telford & Wrekin Council appealed to businesses to help refurbish three houses on the grounds of the hospital.
When completed, the houses would accommodate junior and middle grade doctors for free to encourage more staff to come to Telford. SaTH will then be the only hospital trust in England to offer free on site accommodation to staff.
Since the appeal, approx. 20 individuals and organisations have offered their services, workforce and expertise for free, or offered to make a donation.
They include DENSO Manufacturing UK which has donated £2,500, The Wrekin Housing Trust which will refurbish three kitchens, Geomitre Consultants Ltd who have conducted a structural survey of the buildings, WSP who will carry out an asbestos survey shortly and Lovell Homes and Balfour Beatty who will support with any necessary works to the buildings. In addition, Hadley & Leegomery Parish Council has confirmed a donation of £5,000 to the project.
Cllr Davies said: “We have met representatives of The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust every week to thrash out what could be achieved with these houses.
“Doctors were asked for their thoughts. Lots of discussions have been held and plans have been drawn up incorporating their ideas. Soon, we will start to see things happen.
“After the asbestos survey has been carried out, skips will be delivered to the site. Then over two days, volunteers under supervision will begin to strip the houses of all furniture and loose fittings, carpets and floor coverings. This will then allow clear access for the builders to come in some time later to make the structural alterations required before the new kitchens and bathrooms are fitted and the houses redecorated inside.
“The volunteers, who will include people from both the Council and the hospital trust, will also start to improve the houses’ gardens by cutting back shrubs and removing weeds.
“When the houses are finished, they will be offered as free accommodation to encourage junior and middle grade doctors to come to Telford to work at this hospital. SaTH will be the only hospital trust in the country to offer free accommodation on site. It will help attract and retain doctors, particularly junior doctors who graduate from university with debts of around £100,000. It will not only to prevent the overnight closure, but it also helps make a powerful case to keep the full 24/7 A&E and Women and Children’s Centre at the Princess Royal Hospital.
“People are so excited about this. There is a real desire to do something tangible to help our hospital get the staff it so desperately needs to keep its A&E running in the longer term. I have been told that this will be a game changer in the recruitment of doctors.”
Jenni Rowlands, consultant cardiologist and Director for Undergraduate Education at SaTH said: “Refurbishing the houses with Telford and Wrekin council is a unique collaboration working together to attract doctors to the Trust. New, free on-site accommodation will be an exceptional feature when choosing where to work.”
