Challenging winter forecast for Shropshire's NHS
Health services in Shropshire are expecting this winter to be one of the most challenging in recent years, according to an NHS boss.
A winter control room has been launched in the county to try and manage demand.
With cases of Covid-19 and flu on the rise, chief nursing officer Alison Bussey said it would be tough.  
"Over the last five years it has become increasingly more challenging, this year... even more so," she said.
NHS England has already warned half of all hospitals beds in England could be occupied by patients with respiratory infections, including Covid and flu.
w control room will monitor demand and capacity across the county and respond as pressures build, the NHS in Shropshire said.
Ms Bussey said it would let staff see data including from A&E, ambulances, calls coming into their control rooms and where suitable beds are for people's treatment.
"Having it all in one place so you can see it all at a glance is really important," she said.
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