Shropshire Star

Future Fit: New petition calls for BOTH Shropshire's A&Es to be retained

Another online petition has been launched fighting for Shropshire to retain both of the county's accident and emergency departments.

Published

It has been set up by Marcus Keane, of Telford, petitioning health secretary Jeremy Hunt to retain both A&E departments in Shropshire.

The petition has already been signed by more than 400 people.

It comes after NHS bosses had been expected to push for the closure of Telford's A&E department on Wednesday, but instead delayed the decision.

Petitions against the move, and potential plans to transfer the Women and Children's Centre at Telford's Princess Royal Hospital to Shrewsbury, have already been launched by Defend Our NHS Shrewsbury, Telford & Wrekin, Ildi Berry of Telford, and Mark Pritchard, MP for The Wrekin.

Mr Keane's petition states: "The people of Shropshire demand that both the A&E department at Princess Royal Hospital in Telford and Royal Shrewsbury Hospital are both retained. This was the promise made by the Rt Hon Jeremy Hunt MP two years ago in an interview with the Shropshire Star, it is time Mr Hunt stepped in and made good on his promise.

"The people of Telford, on a separate issue, are demanding that hands are kept off their mother & baby unit. This cost £27 million to put in place and was built in Telford due to it's ever growing young population, it does not make sense to move this unit, we urge Jeremy Hunt, to stop this madness."

Supporters have also left dozens of comments.

Colin Crawford, of Trench, wrote: "I'm signing because the people of Telford and it's surrounds contributed with time, money and a lot of effort to get these services in place. We need and deserve a first class service."

Beryl Angel, of Oswestry, said it was "imperative" that both hospitals retained their A&E departments.

Robert Gibbons, of Trefonen, added: "The population of Shropshire is growing and needs both A&E departments. Waiting times for both are to long. So how will one cope?"

NHS bosses in the county have put off a recommendation for A&E and the children's centre for up to four weeks.

A threatened legal challenge by Telford & Wrekin Council was thought to have prompted the delay.

It was due to go to public consultation once approved by Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin clinical commissioning groups and the West Midlands Clinical Senate.

The recommendation was likely to involve a single A&E department for Shropshire at the RSH, supported by urgent care centres at both hospitals.

The Women and Children's Centre, which opened two years ago at PRH, would be moved to the RSH. The Telford hospital would then specialise in planned surgery.

Telford & Wrekin Council has fought against any removal of the PRH A&E, culminating in a march at the weekend involving more than 500 protesters.

It had also told the Future Fit board it was prepared to launch legal proceedings to prevent the changes.

Future Fit said the delay had come because of "specific concerns" but insisted it still hoped to go to public consultation in December.

To see the petition, visit change.org/p/the-rt-hon-jeremy-hunt-mp-the-people-of-shropshire-demand-the-right-to-retain-both-of-their-a-e-departments

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