‘Confidence lost’ in Shropshire healthcare bosses, say Ludlow campaigners

In a letter to Simon Freeman, the accountable officer at Shropshire Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), a group of Ludlow campaigners have described a major review into the future of rural services as "destructive".

Shropshire Councillors Richard and Tracey Huffer, Gill George, chairwoman of Shropshire Defend Our NHS, and a number of Ludlow residents met and agreed to write to the CCG to outline their concerns.

The letter says that the campaigners "completely reject" the CCG's draft paper which went to a recent board meeting, with its "biased and partial presentation of data".

It states that data was "plainly calculated to achieve an outcome of closing our Minor Injuries Unit and closing the inpatient beds at Ludlow Hospital".

A "safe local maternity unit" is part of the future of the town, states the letter, adding that residents need Ludlow Maternity Unit reopened with staff available straight away, "not with part time midwives travelling from Shrewsbury".

It warns that community trust cuts to funding are a "disaster", and outlines serious concerns about the funding of Shropdoc and the potential removal of out of hours cover from South Shropshire.

The group revealed that in the last few days they have heard of renewed threats to services provided by the voluntary sector, because of funding cuts. They say this would affect "a whole raft" of services.

The letter concludes by saying that the health bosses will face "relentless opposition".

It says: "We write to tell you that we have lost confidence in your ability to meet the health needs of Ludlow’s community.

"We write, too, to tell you that you will face relentless opposition to your current destructive plans."

The news comes after GPs criticised "misleading" statistics being used in the review which will decide the future of Ludlow’s Minor Injury Unit.

Figures from the review say the number of attendances at MIUs are relatively low.

The figures also show that this year Ludlow MIU has been closed on five occasions due to staff shortages.

Shropshire health bosses have insisted the review is not about cutting services.

Responding to the letter, Mr Freeman said: "The CCG Case for Change for Community Services is an early draft and will be revised prior to taking to the relevant sub-committee of the CCG and the governing body. I can only iterate that no decisions have been taken at all in respect of any CCG commissioned services, be that MLUs, MIUs, DAART or Community Beds.

"Any decision and discussion will be taken in full view of the public and subject to the legal obligations placed on CCGs including engagement and, if needed, consultation."

He added: "I can assure you that the CCG is committed to improving health outcomes for the whole of Shropshire and will continue to strive to do that . That ambition however does necessarily mean that all services will need to be reviewed across Shropshire which we are currently undertaking.

"Moreover that is being done in a transparent and public way and I would encourage the residents of all areas of Shropshire to be involved in and contribute to that debate."