Future Fit: Telford council leader’s rallying call on A&E plan
The leader of Telford & Wrekin Council has issued a rallying call over the future of the county’s health service as the Future Fit consultation reaches its halfway point.
Councillor Shaun Davies said the future of hospital services in the town are at stake – and now was the time to work to protect them.
His comments come as it is revealed that 1,515 people had responded to the consultation by its mid point.
About 653 people responding came from the Shropshire area, 611 were from Telford and 251 from Mid Wales.
Now Councillor Davies has issued a call for people to have their say.
“The future of hospital services are in your hands,” Councillor Davies said.
“We do not accept the Future Fit preferred option, which would see the Princess Royal Hospital lose its new £28 million consultant-led Women and Children’s Centre and full 24-hour A&E.
“We favour the second option in the consultation.
“Option 2 would mean the Princess Royal Hospital keeps the vital services such as those at the Women and Children’s Centre that Telford and east Shropshire need.
“Option 2 would also mean shorter average emergency travel times because the full 24-hour A&E would be at Telford – a journey most will make by ambulance.
"It would provide the rest of Shropshire and our neighbours in Mid Wales with Shrewsbury as a more accessible place for planned operations.
“This is better for those who find it difficult to drive to their planned operations, such as older people.”
A copy of the consultation survey will be delivered to every house in the Telford & Wrekin borough over the coming days.
Councillor Davies urged everybody to respond to the survey.
"This is your time to have your say," he said.
"This is now about much more than protecting services at the Princess Royal Hospital. This is about making the right decision to everybody in Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin and Mid Wales."
The public consultation has been extended by a week to September 11.
