The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust has officially exited special measures after demonstrating substantial and sustained improvement – a major milestone in its long‑running improvement journey.
The Trust, which runs the Princess Royal Hospital in Telford and the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital, has been in special measures since November 2018, most recently under the Recovery Support Programme. Following an assessment by NHS England, SaTH has now been recognised for significant progress in financial sustainability, operational performance, governance, and clinical services.
NHS England’s review confirms that SaTH has delivered visible, measurable improvements across a wide range of indicators. Under the RSP, the Trust has received intensive support and oversight, helping to build solid foundations for further long‑term reform.
Key achievements over the last 18 months include:
- Moving up to 96th out of 134 Trusts in the National Oversight Framework (NOF)
- Becoming the most improved Trust nationally for elective recovery, specifically 18‑week Referral‑to‑Treatment (RTT) performance
- Ranking second nationally for the cancer 28‑day Faster Diagnosis Standard, with further progress on 62‑day cancer treatment times
- Delivering the strongest diagnostic performance in five years
- Making sustained progress in maternity and neonatal care, and on track to exit the Maternity Safety Support Programme (MSSP)
- Achieving improved financial performance, including delivering a £41 million Cost Improvement Programme (CIP) — its highest ever
- Reducing agency spending and remaining on track to deliver a 50% deficit reduction compared to 2023/24
- Securing University Trust status, recognising its growing focus on research, education and clinical training
These improvements represent a decisive shift for a Trust that, for years, has faced significant challenges in safety, performance and public confidence.
SaTH leaders acknowledge that while exiting special measures is a major achievement, there is still more to do. The Trust is continuing to implement long‑term improvement plans, including:
- Further strengthening clinical services
- Embedding sustainable operational performance
- Enhancing patient experience
- Delivering the Hospitals Transformation Programme by 2028 – a major reconfiguration aimed at securing modern, safe and resilient hospital services for Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin
Trust leadership says the improvement journey is ongoing, with a focus on sustained performance, strengthened workforce culture, and consistently high‑quality care.
Group Chief Executive Jo Williams said:
“This is a significant milestone on our improvement journey, and I am incredibly proud of our staff for their hard work and dedication. They have and continue to put our patients at the heart of our work to transform care and improve health outcomes.
“This is not the end of our improvement journey. We know that we have much more still to do, particularly in urgent and emergency care, but we are making tangible progress and we are pleased this has been recognised by NHS England and partners. We will continue to listen, reflect and learn so we are always improving.”
For local authorities, Integrated Care Boards, and wider system partners, SaTH’s exit from special measures marks a meaningful shift in the stability of the local health and care system. Improved performance across diagnostics, cancer pathways and RTT times will help ease pressure on neighbouring acute providers.
University Trust status also positions SaTH to contribute more significantly to clinical research, workforce development and innovation within the region.
This milestone reflects not only organisational effort but also strong system collaboration, and sets the stage for continued transformation over the years ahead.
Image credit: iStock
