Programmes and initiatives

Princess Royal Hospital in Telford will become the site specialising in planned care. Patients will have a more positive experience in improved, dedicated planned care facilities. Royal Shrewsbury Hospital will become the site specialising in emergency care. All the right doctors and nurses who support our emergency care teams will be on the same site as the remodelled, bigger Emergency Department. This means they can make quicker decisions about patient care. Most patients will continue to use their local hospital, including for outpatient appointments and urgent care services. Most people that currently use our Emergency Department (A&E) will use the Urgent Treatment Centre at their local hospital.

This new clinical will provide a number of benefits for our staff and patients. By having our planned care services in one hospital we can:

• Reduce the number of cancelled operations and waiting times
• Provide modern theatres to give a better environment for patients
• Create a calmer environment, with unplanned, emergency care on another site
• Reduce the risk of spreading infections

By having our emergency care services in one hospital we can:

• Have a bigger and improved Emergency Department designed to meet the needs of our communities now and in the future
• Provide faster access to the right care from the right teams that support emergency care
• Make quicker decisions about patient care, with all the specialist teams on one site with the Emergency Department
• Improve the working environment for our staff with modern facilities

This is more than a new building. A significant amount of work will be needed to develop the clinical pathways and reform our workforce, to be ready to open the doors in 2028 and deliver the step change in care we aspire to.

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The programme is looking at how existing services can be provided differently and in a more integrated way with health and care professionals from across the NHS, local authorities and third sector partners, and with a major focus on neighbourhood health services. By forming a Group between SaTH and The Shropshire Community Health Trust we hope to accelerate opportunities to deliver care closer to home.

The programme will focus on more proactive and joined-up care, supported by technology, aiming to keep people healthy and independent in their community, and ensuring that acute hospital and community-based services work together to provide the right care, at the right place, at the right time. We want to empower people to take control of their health by providing the necessary tools, information and support to make informed decisions about their health and wellbeing.

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While there remains work to do, SaTH is making strong progress in key areas to improve maternity services. As of November 2025, of the 52 actions set out in the first Ockenden Report, all 52 (100%) have been delivered. The final Ockenden Report provided a further 158 actions for the Trust to deliver and good progress is being made against these, with 151 (96%) of these actions having been delivered. When combined, the Trust has delivered 203 (97%) out of its 210 actions.

The two reports can be found here from the GOV.UK webpages:

• FIRST REPORT
• FINAL REPORT

Following the most recent inspection by the Care Quality Commission, maternity services are now rated as ‘good’, but we must do more to build trust and engage with families in a sustained and meaningful way. We will continue to listen and learn and to make sure the changes we make are real, positive and can be sustained. We are grateful to the families who are meeting with us to share their experiences and we will continue to offer regular meetings with any families who want to be involved.

Teams in maternity services, and the wider Trust, continue to work hard to create a transparent and accountable environment at all levels, to provide safe, compassionate, bespoke care and to rebuild the confidence of the communities we serve. Our ambition is to become an Outstanding maternity service. We are seeking a compassionate and inclusive Group Chief Nurse who will commit to building on this crucial work.

C.A.R.E.

Care
Show genuine kindness, empathy and compassion in every action and conversation. Remember that small gestures often have the biggest impact.

Acknowledge
Listen actively. Make eye contact, use names and acknowledge the individual’s feelings and concerns. Every patient deserves to feel seen and heard.

Respect
Treat all patients, families and colleagues with dignity, honesty and patience. Respect lived experience and understand that trust is built through respect.

Empower
Involve patients and their families in decisions about their care. Communicate clearly, encourage questions and ensure people feel informed and included.

Poppy’s Promise is more than a framework – it represents a cultural shift towards human-centred care. By adopting these principles, we:

• Strengthen trust and communication between staff and patients
• Reduce avoidable harm through better understanding and listening
• Improve patient experience and staff wellbeing
• Foster a culture of openness, empathy and shared responsibility

Every member of staff has a role to play in bringing Poppy’s Promise to life. Whether you are clinical, administrative or support staff, compassion and communication are part of everyone’s role.

In daily practice, you can:

• Take a moment before entering a patient’s space – centre yourself and focus on the person, not the task
• Use clear, respectful and kind language
• Listen without interruption and acknowledge emotions expressed
• Be honest and transparent, even when conversations are difficult
• Reflect after interactions – consider how your approach made the patient or family feel

All staff within the Trust are expected to:

• Uphold the values of Poppy’s Promise in all patient and colleague interactions
• Attend any training, workshops or refreshers provided as part of the initiative
• Support colleagues in modelling compassionate behaviours
• Raise concerns constructively when communication or respect fall short
• Reflect these principles in both professional and personal conduct within the workplace

Together, we can make every interaction an opportunity to care, listen and make a difference.

That is Poppy’s Promise.