It was on August 6 last year that work first began on the construction of a huge new four-storey building at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital, which will one day transform hospital services right across the county.

Once complete, the new building will house – among other things – maternity and women’s services along with children’s and critical care facilities. The project will also see a complete remodel of the existing emergency department. 

It means that the Shrewsbury hospital will become the go-to site in Shropshire for emergency care, leaving the Princess Royal Hospital in Telford to focus on planned care. 

From left: Iwan Lewis, IHP operations manager; Matthew Neal, HTP director; Dr Ed Rysdale, HTP clinical lead; and Sean Delaney, IHP project director. Photo: Steve LeathFrom left: Iwan Lewis, IHP operations manager; Matthew Neal, Hospitals Transformation Programme director; Dr Ed Rysdale, Hospitals Transformation Programme clinical lead; and Sean Delaney, IHP project director. Photo: Steve LeathSHREW COPYRIGHT NATIONAL WORLD STEVE LEATH 05/08/25A look around the new Shrewsbury Royal Hospital being built.The Royal Shrewsbury Hospital. Photo: Steve Leath

In NHS-speak, ‘planned care’ includes services that are scheduled in advance and encompasses a range of treatments and procedures, such as elective surgeries, outpatient appointments and diagnostic tests.

“It’s going to make a massive difference to healthcare across Shropshire,” said emergency medicine consultant Dr Ed Rysdale, who is working as clinical lead for the Hospitals Transformation Programme.

The Royal Shrewsbury Hospital. The Royal Shrewsbury Hospital. Photo: Steve LeathDr Ed Rysdale. Photo: Steve LeathDr Ed Rysdale. Photo: Steve Leath

“All of our acute specialities will be together on one site, so patients will be able to see the right specialists sooner, the decisions we make will be made earlier, and hopefully their length of stay will be shorter as well.

Cal Say and a robot which is helping with construction.The Royal Shrewsbury Hospital. Photo: Steve LeathCal Say and a robot which is helping with construction.The Royal Shrewsbury Hospital. Photo: Steve LeathThe Royal Shrewsbury Hospital. Photo: Steve LeathThe Royal Shrewsbury Hospital. Photo: Steve Leath

“It also means the right care will be over in Telford too, with all of our planned care ring-fenced without emergencies running alongside it, so there will be far fewer cancellations and our elective care can happen in a seamless way.” 

But all that transformation is a little way off at the moment with the new building expected to be completed and operational by the end of 2028. 

The Royal Shrewsbury Hospital. Photo: Steve LeathThe Royal Shrewsbury Hospital. Photo: Steve Leath