Newtown meeting calls for halt to health plans

Hundreds of people packed into a public meeting in Mid Wales in opposition to plans to shake up health services in one of the biggest shows of strength the town has ever seen.

It was standing room only as nearly 400 people packed into the Elephant and Castle in Newtown last night to voice their concerns at plans to reorganise Shropshire health services.

Children's and women's specialities are being proposed to move from the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital to Telford's Princess Royal.

Residents, councillors and politicians united as one voice to call for the plans to be scrapped, despite health chiefs claiming there is no other option and the services could be lost if no action is taken.

Russell George, town and county councillor for Newtown, said he was delighted with the response.

He said: "It was an amazing turn out of between 350 and 400 people, more than I can remember there ever being at a public meeting in the town.

"The number of people the meeting attracted just demonstrates the strength of feeling in Newtown towards these proposals.

"I can't remember a meeting where so many people turned out and had their say.

"The proposals should be shelved and new options should come forward with emergency services located in the centre of the Mid Wales and Shropshire area - Shrewsbury.

"It seems to me that those behind the proposals forgot about Montgomeryshire when they were putting them together.

"The Royal Shrewsbury Hospital is vitally important to people here too."

The move would add up to 20 minutes onto a journey which already takes 45 minutes from Newtown.

Glyn Davies, Montgomeryshire MP, said people in Mid Wales did not want any services moved and the "highly charged" audience made its point.

He said: "It was another amazing public meeting about Shropshire hospitals in Newtown.

"There were nearly 400 there, so that's 800 at three public meetings - and 800 people saying the same thing," said Mr Davies.

"We do not want any of our 'emergency' services, including maternity and paediatrics, being moved to Telford."

By Andrew Morris