NHS chiefs must take on board the views of residents before rubber-stamping healthcare reforms in Shropshire, Health Secretary Andy Burnham has said.

The “immediate” threat of some hospital services being switched from Telford’s Princess Royal to the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital was lifted earlier this month.

But concerns have since been raised at the way the process for carrying through healthcare reform in Shropshire is being handled.

Plans to create a county-wide network of vascular surgeons have been agreed. But it remains a goal of the NHS in Shropshire to eventually consolidate vascular services at a single hospital.

The proposal, along with other changes, will be consulted on next summer – after the General Election.

Formally acknowledging a petition against the original proposals, Mr Burnham said any plans to develop and improve health services in the county were the responsibility of the local NHS.

He said any reforms must be “locally led, clinically driven and built upon a sound clinical case for change”.

“The issue referred to is due to be the subject of a formal local consultation exercise and I am asking the local NHS, through the West Midlands Strategic Health Authority, to ensure that views of the petitioners are taken into account when making their decision,” he added.

Campaigners asked the Secretary of State to intervene after voicing “serious concerns” about the move.

They accused health bosses of focusing on savings without consideration for people’s clinical and medical needs – and feared it would lead to the loss of other services from PRH and a downgrading of the hospital.

Wrekin MP Mark Pritchard, who presented the 16,303-strong petition to Parliament last month, said: “I hope that ministers will now listen to the overwhelming opposition to cut local health services.

“Whilst the immediate threat of downgrading services has been lifted, it is important that the whole community remains vigilant,” added the Tory MP.

By London reporter Sunita Patel