Royal Shrewsbury Hospital A&E petition wins backing of 8,300
More than 8,300 people have signed a petition calling for hospital bosses to keep A&E and stroke services at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital.
The petition, set up by Councillor Joy Jones, of Newtown, and Vicky Ruff-Cock, has been signed by 8,388 people who want to keep the services in Shrewsbury.
It was launched after Peter Herring, chief executive of Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust, warned it would be "unrealistic" for both the Royal Shrewsbury and Princess Royal hospitals to continue delivering 24/7 specialist services.
It was claimed today that Newtown could become cut off if health services are moved from the RSH.
Councillor Jones, county council member for Newtown, said she fears the town will be left "out on a limb" if accident and emergency and stroke services are moved from the RSH to the Princess Royal Hospital in Telford. She said if A&E services were moved, patients falling ill in Newtown will not be able to get to the Princess Royal Hospital inside the "golden hour" within which treatment was vital.
Councillor Jones, who along with friend Vicky Ruff-Cock have collected 8,388 signatures on a petition calling for the services to remain in Shrewsbury, said she feared for the future of the town.
She said: "I am starting to worry now that Newtown will become isolated and lonely and if the services move to Telford it would be another nail in the coffin.
"Medics talk about the golden hour in getting patients to hospital and it is already cutting it fine in getting to Shrewsbury.
"There is no chance patients will get to Telford in this time.
"You would only make it to Telford in an hour if the ambulance was practically on your driveway when you made the call and it doesn't work like that. I know from experience that if you call an ambulance it can take 20 minutes to come to your house, then the paramedics will carry out an initial assessment get you loaded up and then take you to hospital.
"The road from Newtown to Shrewsbury can be very busy and to then go on to Telford will take you way over the hour."
Councillor Jones said she was not criticising paramedics or ambulance staff, but said taking the services away from Shrewsbury is "unthinkable".
She added: "The loss of these services will leave us isolated and out on a limb.
"Montgomeryshire is not big enough for its own county infirmary and if the services go to Telford we will be forgotten about."
The comments follow an announcement by hospital chief executive Peter Herring that specialist health services at both hospitals was "unrealistic". A consultation will take place over the future of health services in Shrewsbury, Telford & Wrekin and Mid Wales. The petition, is at http://you. 38degrees.org.uk/petitions/keep-a-e-and-stroke-services-in-shrewsbury? source=facebook-share-button& time=1378668260
