MP warns of hospital war
Monday 28th September 2009, 12:45PM BST.
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Shrewsbury MP Daniel Kawczynski today warned war could break out between Telford and Shrewsbury over moves to safeguard hospital services – if the two towns do not form a united front.
Mr Kawczynski said the county must work together as he hit out at campaig- ners in Telford for “whipping up a hysterical campaign” just for their town.
He criticised Telford Labour MP David Wright, who this month launched a campaign called Say No to Shrewsbury.
Mr Kawczynski was incensed by the campaign and today he said: “We should all work together across the whole of the county to prevent cuts but if Telford is going to whip up hysterical support just for Telford it’s going to be an all out fight between us to ensure, from our perspective, that these cuts aren’t from Shrewsbury.”
Disappointed
But today Mr Wright countered: “My campaign to say no to moving services to Shrewsbury has gained the backing of over 2,000 local people within a couple of days of launching which just shows the depth of feeling in Telford about being treated as second class citizens.
“I am disappointed that the Shrewsbury MP has decided to make this issue personal, but I make no apology for standing up for Telford.”
The campaigns come after a health report recommended having the county’s acute services on a single site from 2020, be it at the Princess Royal, Royal Shrewsbury or at a new hospital.
The report 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, with the RSH noted as the preferred option.
Today Mr Kawczynski added: “I will be sending an open letter to David Wright through the pages of the Shropshire Star.
“That will say that if he wants to campaign for his hospital it should be a positive campaign rather than denigrating Shrewsbury. I find the Say No to Shrewsbury campaign deeply insulting.”
Wrekin MP Mark Pritchard, whose Save the PRH petition has attracted more than 10,000 names, did not want to comment.
By John Kirk
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It’s easy for Kawczynski to say this but Shrewsbury’s services aren’t threatened in the same way as those serving highly populated East Shropshire are.
Hysterical? Perhaps those of us living in East Shropshire need to be hysterical to prevent the loss of our hospital. And if it becomes Telford versus Shrewsbury then so be it.
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I think Mr. Kawczynski is right – this shouldn’t an Us V them argument (which I think certain parties are aggravating for their agenda). We should all be working together to find a viable compromise which is necessary – if the money isn’t there to fully fund all services at both hospitals then all the arguing in the world isn’t going to change that. I think a start is trying to keep both A & E departments open and look at consolidating other services that are non-emergency in the main.
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I’m confused. Are the protesters hysterical – or is somebody calmly and responsibly calling for war?
An e-petition has been lodged and will be available soon – yes, it’s called’Save the PRH’ for short, but that’s because only 16 letters are allowed! The full name is calling for BOTH hospitals to be retained and improved, as is the Facebook group which now has over 2,000 members.
http://xrl.us/bforyv
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It would be great if Shrewsbury and Telford could vote in Independent MP’s, Like Dr Richard Taylor in Wyre Forest. Closing Telford Hospital will effectively be a cut in service at Shrewsbury hospital anyway. The extra demand will far exceed the funding. The Conservatives and Labour will both cut services anyway,with Shropshire a low priority, so a change from the Lib-Lab-Con party system will be a welcome one.
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Could Mr Kawczynski explain how his campaign differs from that of David Wrights? He fails to mention that by far the majority of protestors from the area served by the PRH are (a) are nothing to do with with the “Say No To Shrewsbury” campaign and (b) opposed to cuts at EITHER hospital, whereas Mr Kawczynski states “it’s going to be an all out fight between us to ensure, from our perspective, that these cuts aren’t from Shrewsbury.”
It seems to me that the only level-headed comments are coming from ordinary members of the public unassociated with our local MPs.
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Which is why we have launched a non-political campaign to save full services at BOTH hospitals. Let’s leave the MP’s to their electioneering and help us save our Hospitals.
http://bit.ly/saveprhrsh is a link to our facebook group with over 2000 members (in less than a week) so far and not a self serving politician in sight. We are planning a protest/march very soon or some show of strength soon. Please join our group to show your support.
http://bit.ly/saveprhrsh
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Harold remember our MP Kaz loves the limelight! in my opinion both hospitals should retain there services just hope it does not become a political match.
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‘Lets work together’ he says!!!. Yeah, yeah lets work together to make sure shrewsbury does not loose any of it’s services more like. David Wright is the elected MP for Telford and is doing his job fighting for it’s hospital. Does Mr Kawczynski honestly think that those living in telford are going standby and let shrewsbury hospital take the services away Telford hospital. If he does then in my opinion he’s a fool. Let the fight begin.
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I response to H.St John Peasbody it’s also easier for Mr Kawczynski to say Shrowsbury (where’s that)and for the Shropshire Star’s video reporter to fail horribly in pronouncing a Polish name…it’s Kav..chin..ski.
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I find the comments of the Shrewsbury MP Daniel Kawczynski very annoying, patronising. Also does he suffer from memory loss, since I believe I read somewhere that he felt that Shrewsbury should be the focus for services because it is the county town.
And Mark Pritchard show us where your spine is why do you not want to comment – just because he plays for the same team as you does not mean that you cannot stand up for your voters, since that is what Daniel Kawczynski is prepared to do.
Mark Pritchard – what are your thoughts ?
I firmly believe that the decision has been made, and I guess that the end result will not be as bad as we think but still a downgrade. Then the wonderful SaTH Board can boast that they have listened to people and taking on board their views and concerns
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He has changed direction a bit from this article 2 weeks ago!
http://www.shropshirestar.com/2009/09/15/hospital-threat-condemned/
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Please sign the e-petition (despite the shorthand name, it also calls for full services to be retained at BOTH hospitals.
http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/Save-the-PRH/
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Mr Wright said “I am disappointed that the Shrewsbury MP has decided to make this issue personal, but I make no apology for standing up for Telford.”
And quite right he is to; after all he does represent the people of Telford.
‘Jump on any bandwagon’ Kawczynski added: “I will be sending an open letter to David Wright through the pages of the Shropshire Star.”
Well, that seems typical for this grovelling Tory – he only seems to be interested in maximising his own publicity. His behaviour belongs in the school playground.
Mark Pritchard – he at least made comments last week about the actual issues supporting the PRH for which, unlike his neighbouring Tory colleague, he can be commended for.
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Its not fair! Shrewsbury got the monument, at least we should get the hospital!
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Mark Pritchard not wanting to comment? Is this a first? And why an open letter only to David Wright?
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