Theresa May: Shropshire people must have voices heard over A&E plans
Local people must have their voices heard over plans to reorganise the county's A&E services according to the Prime Minister.
Theresa May had her say on the issue of Future Fit when she responded to a question from Shrewsbury & Atcham MP, Daniel Kawczynski, during Prime Minister's Questions.
She said: "The point about the way this is being done is it is for local people to have their voice heard, and for decisions to be taken that reflect the needs of a particular area."
She also confirmed the Government would look at the proposals put forward by the Future Fit review.
The Prime Minister's comments follow those of Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt who insisted that the decision has to be a local matter.
Speaking before the House of Commons Mr Kawczynski had said: "We have empowered local doctors to take real leadership over important reconfiguration proposals. In Shropshire 300 doctors, surgeons and consultants have been working on a vital reconfiguratiopn of A&E services in Shropshire and Mid Wales.
"When they make their decision later this month it is very important for Government to back them and provide the capital funding for this vital change to enhance patient safety."
The current plans to reorganise the services at Princess Royal Hospital Telford and Royal Shrewsbury Hospital have been delayed for a month in the wake of a threatened legal challenge from Telford & Wrekin Council.
The prospect of a legal challenge has come after leaked papers indicated that Royal Shrewsbury Hospital is the favoured site for the county's only emergency centre. Under the proposals women and children's services would also move to Shrewsbury from Telford, despite opening in 2014 at the site, at a cost of £28 million.
David Evans, the man leading the Future Fit review has insisted that the process will not be delayed and that public consultation on the options will go ahead in December as planned.
Future Fit was briefly discussed at a meeting of Shropshire Clinical Commissioning Group today.
Mr Evans said: "We will now spend four weeks answering any concerns Telford and Wrekin Council may have before the programme board next meet.
"This delay should not impact on the timetable and we should still go to public consultation in December."
This week it was also revealed that health bosses in charge of both RSH and PRH are in discussions over plans to prevent a temporary closure of an A&E due to the imminent departure of a consultant.
The loss of the consultant, expected to leave in December, would push the A&E services past what are considered safety "tipping points".
Last week Mr Kawczynski, in a letter to the Prime Minster, also warned against any legal action that could delay the Future Fit process.
He said: "I am greatly concerned about the protracted delays to this process.
"Telford & Wrekin Council and all local stakeholders agreed to this process and the makeup of the appraisal panel.
"It seems churlish in the extreme to then challenge the result which was based on that agreement.
"Senior consultants have repeatedly made clear that unless this decision is taken imminently, lives will be lost.
"There should be no ambiguity about who is to blame for putting patients at such risk."
