Residents in Bishop’s Castle may have to make a near 100-mile round trip for blood tests despite the hospital being opened next month.
Residents have been told that they will have to travel as far away as Whitchurch – a drive of over 45 miles – to get a blood test after the local surgery stopped being able to provide the service earlier this month.
This is despite Bishop’s Castle Hospital being set to open on July 15 – leaving residents having to book blood tests in Shrewsbury, Telford or Whitchurch.
Candidate for the Liberal Democrats in South Shropshire, Matthew Green, said: “I know that they are now working on this so that residents are not forced to drive to the Royal Shrewsbury to have essential blood tests.
"Rural people deserve to be able to access essential services as close to home as possible."
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Bishop’s Castle Councillor Ruth Houghton has been in touch with the Integrated Health Board and said she would be following up with them about the situation.
“I have been contacted by a number of local people today that have received text messages about the service stopping and who are very worried about this service ending,” said Councillor Houghton.
“This is particularly serious as public transport to any other place for blood tests is either non-existent or poor.
“It would seem sensible that these are now carried out by the hospital here when it re-opens next month.”
Chirbury and Worthen Councillor Heather Kidd added: “It is time that our health professionals work to reduce difficult travel and maximise the use of our very special Community Hospital.
“It really is pretty daft to be sending our residents to the highly congested Royal Shrewsbury Hospital where parking is so difficult and buses infrequent.
“I am sure that if the ICB rural proof this then it will become clear a local solution needs to be found.”
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In a statement the Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin NHS Integrated Health Board said: “We are still in the process of finding a long-term solution for the phlebotomy (blood testing) service at Bishop’s Castle Medical Practice.
“While we are still hopeful that a local solution will be found, we are asking patients who need a blood test to attend either the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital, the Princess Royal Hospital in Telford, or the Community Diagnostic Clinics (CDCs) in either Telford or Whitchurch from Tuesday 25 June onwards. This will be for a temporary time only until a long-term solution is found.
“We will keep you regularly updated on any progress made.”
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