Keep A&E in Shrewsbury says town council
An accident and emergency department must remain at Royal Shrewsbury Hospital, town councillors have declared.
Councillors voted to throw their weight behind a motion about the A&E's future.
Shrewsbury Town Council officially adopted a statement that opposes the closure, which would lead to emergency cases going to Telford's Princess Royal Hospital.
Members of the council's finance and general purposes committee last night backed the motion, put forward by the council's Labour Party.
Shropshire Council had considered a similar motion at its meeting last month, but instead adopted an amendment that stopped short of calling for RSH to keep its A&E.
The decision was in stark contrast with a move from Telford & Wrekin Council, which launched its A&E 4 PRH campaign.
It comes as health bosses continue the Future Fit reorganisation that will almost certainly lead to the closure of one of Shropshire's two A&E units.
The Shropshire Council motion was put forward by Councillor Pam Moseley, who represents Monkmoor in Shrewsbury. She then submitted it to the town council for consideration and it was put forward by Councillor Alan Mosley, who represents Castlefields, in her absence.
He said: "The best solution for the county would be for two fully equipped A&E departments to remain open. But it is now clear that only one is going to be proposed. I appeal to the town council to come out in response to the motion and to the residents of the town to help keep RSH open."
Councillor Peter Nutting, who represents the Copthorne ward, added: "I am in full support of the motion. There is a slight dilemma for Conservative members because Shropshire Council declined to take sides on the motion and has left the decision to be made by clinicians. From a Shrewsbury Town Council point of view we should be fighting for it to stay in Shrewsbury."
