Wrekin MP, Mark Pritchard, has welcomed the Government's decision to increase elective surgery capacity at the Princess Royal Hospital in Telford.
Maria Caulfield, Minister of State for Health, confirmed today (26 August 2022) that the PRH surgical hub will receive new funding to expand to help clear the backlog of people waiting for elective surgery.
The announcement about the PRH came as part of the Government's approval of more than 50 new surgical hubs which will deliver almost 2 million additional operations by 2025 and 1 million more operations every year after that. The Government is investing £1.5 billion to build these new hubs, expand existing hubs, and provide more than 1000 protected elective beds.
This builds on the 91 elective surgical hubs that are already operating across England, which are already improving outcomes for patients and reducing pressures on hospitals. These hubs are helping to transform the way that the NHS provides planned operations and to tackle the backlog in elective care.
The hubs offer specialised facilities for planned surgery with dedicated staff so that the right skills are all under one roof. They will only care for planned patients, reducing the risk of cancellations and allowing more patients to be seen.
Mark Pritchard MP said:
"The Government's announcement is excellent news for local residents who are waiting for elective surgery at PRH.
"The Covid pandemic created long waiting lists for hip replacements, knee replacements and cataract surgery. With this new funding for PRH, that backlog should be cleared more quickly, relieving pain and restoring mobility and independence for thousands of local residents."
