Protesting for the Princess Royal Hospital at the Park Inn, Telford. Front, left to right, Councillor Sean Kelly, cabinet member for policy performance and partnerships, Councillor Tom Biggins, of Telford and Wrekin Council and Conservative parliamentary candidate for Telford, with Wrekin MP Mark Pritchard, centre back.

Placard-waving protesters were due to gather outside a meeting in Telford this afternoon where controversial plans which could see the town’s Princess Royal Hospital downgraded were to be discussed

The demonstration was expected to be held outside the Park Inn in Telford town centre where members of NHS Telford and Wrekin were scheduled to meet at 4pm.

A meeting of Shropshire County PCT was also due to take place this afternoon at the Prostar Stadium in Shrewsbury and, like the Telford meeting, on the table for discussion is a report entitled Developing Health and Healthcare, a Strategy for Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin.

The report recommends having acute services on a single site from 2020, be it at the Princess Royal, the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital or a new hospital.

To work towards that objective, it proposes moving the more serious accident and emergency cases, acute and vascular surgery and in-patient paediatrics, either from the PRH to the RSH or vice versa. The report says moving services from the PRH to the RSH is the best option.

The plans could go out for public consultation in November but, if not found workable, would be considered by the public in 2011.

Telford & Wrekin Council chiefs, including leader Councillor Andrew Eade, were due to lobby this afternoon’s meeting in Telford, along with Wrekin MP Mark Pritchard and Telford MP David Wright, all of whom are opposed to the downgrading of the PRH.

Councillor Eade said: “The arguments presented to the PCT are ridiculous, dangerous and flawed and we have been asking for information from the Trust which has not been forthcoming. Now we know why.”

Mr Pritchard has drawn up a petition objecting to any such moves which has gathered more than 10,000 names and Mr Wright today launched his own Say No to Shrewsbury campaign.

Telford councillor George Ashcroft has also launched a petition and he was today bussing protesters from Wellington to the meeting at the Park Inn. He said: “Telford residents have been out distributing leaflets in support of the Princess Royal Hospital.”

By Simon Hardy