Shropshire Council criticises Telford & Wrekin's £100,000 A&E fighting fund
Council chiefs in Shropshire have criticised a fighting fund set up by neighbouring Telford & Wrekin in the fight to retain hospital A&E services.
Telford & Wrekin Council has earmarked £100,000 to campaign to keep A&E open at the town's Princess Royal Hospital.
The NHS Future Fit programme, conducted jointly by Shropshire Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) and Telford and Wrekin CCG, suggests there should only be one emergency department in the county.
This would see the A&E unit at either the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital or the Princess Royal Hospital closing.
But Karen Calder, Shropshire Council's cabinet member for health, and chairman of Shropshire's Health and Wellbeing Board, said at a recent full council meeting that she had "grave concerns" about Telford & Wrekin spending tens of thousands of pounds of public money on the campaign.
"Future Fit is about delivering the best and safest solutions to ensure everyone in Shropshire has access to the right health service," she said.
"There is far more choice available for communities living in the east of the county and closer to A&E services in Newcastle, Stoke, Wolverhampton and Kidderminster.
"However, for those in the west of Shropshire, and those Welsh counties bordering Shropshire who access Shropshire health services, the choice is far more limited.
"I am really concerned that Telford & Wrekin Council has taken this approach, which could mislead public perception and expectations for their residents.
"We clearly recognise the Future Fit programme needs to be led by clinicians, and are keen to allow the working group to develop the next stages of work without political interference. We have been reassured by our colleagues from both of the CCGs that Future Fit will continue to be a clinically-led process, which will not be influenced by external campaigns."
Lee Chapman, Shropshire Council's cabinet member for adult services, added: "We have stressed our concerns about Telford & Wrekin Council's campaign.
"Not only do we feel this is an inappropriate use of council tax-payers money, but also seriously undermines the professional judgement of our clinical leaders and staff."
