Campaigners urge public to set up own meetings over Future Fit
Health campaigners in Shropshire are calling on people to organise their own meetings to discuss the Future Fit proposals.
A public consultation which will help shape the future of the county's hospital services is expected to start next month.
A number of meetings will be organised across Shropshire and Mid Wales and people will have a chance to give feedback in a variety of ways.
But Green Party councillors and campaigners say they are working with Shropshire Defend Our NHS and are urging people to set up their own meetings to ensure they fully understand the facts behind the proposals.
Shropshire Councillor Julian Dean said: "We want to make sure that people can clearly discuss and understand the issues without the spin that our health trust leadership and MPs are putting on the proposals.
"Local meetings in community centres, front rooms, sports clubs, WIs, trade unions or any community group will help true local engagement in the consultation.
"We and the Shropshire Defend Our NHS team can provide speakers and materials to explain the full range of issues at stake, issues which we believe are being glossed over in the official Future Fit consultation process."
Preferred option
Under the Future Fit plans the most serious emergency cases would only be dealt with at either Princess Royal Hospital Telford (PRH) or Royal Shrewsbury Hospital (RSH).
The preferred option, signed off by Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin clinical commissioning groups, is for RSH to be the site for the county's emergency centre.
Both hospitals would have urgent care centres under the plans.
Health bosses have said that consultant-led women and children's services would have to be on the same site as the emergency department.
However, a range of women and children's services would still be available on the other site, including a midwife-led unit.
People interested in organising a meeting, or requesting a speaker, materials or information, are asked to contact Shropshire Defend Our NHS at info@shropshiredefendournhs.org or 07900 411769.
Councillor Dean can also be contacted at juliandean251@gmail.com or by calling 07939 121607.
