Shrewsbury MP Daniel Kawczynski urges public to support Future Fit

Daniel Kawczynski, MP for Shrewsbury & Atcham, has urged the public to make sure they take part in the forthcoming Future Fit consultation.

The Conservative MP has said that unless people get behind the Future Fit reorganisation then it could put up to £312 million of funding from the government at risk.

He said: "I would now urge constituents to take a look at the Future Fit public consultation, read what is actually planned with this vital new investment and engage directly so that the Shrewsbury & Telford Hospitals NHS Trust can have your views.

"I will be going around the constituency at various public meetings over the course of the next few months with those who have been part of the Future Fit programme to explain directly to members of the public what this investment means and why it should be supported.

"NHS England will, in the coming days or week confirm when the consultation period will begin and I cannot stress enough how important it is for the public to engage and respond to the proposals from Future Fit as without public support this investment may not take place."

Two options will be going to consultation. The first would see Royal Shrewsbury Hospital becoming the county's only emergency centre, and also home to women and children's services. Under option one Telford's Princess Royal Hospital would be the centre for planned care in the county, and both hospitals would have urgent care centres.

Option two would see Princess Royal Hospital becoming the county's only emergency centre, and also home to women and children's services. That option would see Royal Shrewsbury Hospital becoming the centre for planned care. Again both hospitals would have urgent care centres.

Option one is the "preferred option" of county health chiefs.

Praised

Mr Kawczynski has praised the work of local health officials in getting to this stage.

He said: "In the last parliament we passed legislation to ensure that hospital investment and modernisation is placed in the hands of the local clinicians, doctors and consultants.

"These are the people who work tirelessly for the NHS and are at the coal face day in and day out looking after patients and experiencing first hand some of the increasing pressures on the NHS.

"I am proud of that decision because sometimes I feel civil servants and ministers in London are not as cognisant of Shropshire issues as are the people who actually work here in our county for the NHS.

"The clinicians have been working on the Future Fit programme for many years and have devised through their experience an investment programme which not only will see the major extensive building and investment in both our hospitals but is actually making those services effective for future generations.

"I would like to pay tribute to our chief executive Simon Wright who has worked tirelessly to secure the funding for the Future Fit programme.

"He has met all the Shropshire MPs extensively and we have worked very well together as a team to put Shropshire’s case forward for consideration.

"I would also like to thank all those involved in the Future Fit process which has been arduous and difficult, however that work will lead to better healthcare for all in and around the county. I am delighted that we have secured £316m of investment. It is the single largest capital investment for any Trust in our country this year and is the single biggest investment in Shropshire’s NHS in seventy years."