The detailed costs of shifting services from Telford’s Princess Royal Hospital to Shrewsbury will be made public, health bosses have said.

The assurance comes amid growing anger that the hospital’s A&E department faces being downgraded and key services such as vascular surgery and inpatient paediatrics could be transferred to the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital.

Under plans to reorganise healthcare in the county over the next 10 years, the ultimate goal is to concentrate all services on one site, possibly in a brand new hospital.

It has been said that the cost of such a move is put at £18 million whereas the cost of shifting services from Shrewsbury to the PRH is estimated at £47 million.

Telford & Wrekin Council leader, Andrew Eade, has queried the figures.

“The costs appear to be based on new buildings,” he said.

“The PRH site is a modern, modular design that was designed to allow flexibility in the use of its space.”

He has asked what consideration has been given to using this space for clinical purposes and other areas on the site for non-clinical uses, and the cost of doing so.

At a meeting of the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital Trust yesterday, John McDonald, project director, confirmed that a financial assessment by outside consultants,of the costings of the various options, would be available for scrutiny by the council.

Meanwhile health bosses have responded to the threat that they could be taken to Judicial Review over moves to downgrade the PRH.

Leaders of all the political groups on Telford & Wrekin Council have said that they are faced with little option but to consider a legal challenge that could ultimately lead to a full Judicial Review, should the decision to transfer services from the PRH proceed.

Simon Conolly, chief executive of NHS Telford and Wrekin, said today: “The public and a whole range of our stakeholders, including the councils, have been involved in this process from day one.

“However, we fully recognise the need for the council to explore all options open to them.

“It is important to note that no decisions have been made and any decisions will be subject to a full public consultation.”

By Health Correspondent Dave Morris