Shropshire Star

Shrewsbury MP in Future Fit plea as Telford Tories back option two

Daniel Kawczynski urged his Conservative colleagues to think of the bigger picture after they said the only A&E in Shropshire should be based in Telford.

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Daniel Kawczynski, left, disagrees with fellow Conservatives Lucy Allan and Mark Pritchard, right, on which Future Fit option to back

The Shrewsbury MP made the comments after Telford MP Lucy Allan and Wrekin MP Mark Pritchard both said they were supporting option two in the Future Fit consultation process.

Option two would see the county’s main A&E based at Telford’s Princess Royal Hospital.

But Mr Kawczynski is backing option one, which would see the A&E based in Shrewsbury.

“Telford politicians are falling into the trap of just thinking about Telford,” he said.

“We are one county and these two hospitals are not there purely for the residents of Shrewsbury and Telford.

"They’re there for all the citizens of Shropshire and Mid Wales. That’s going to be a contributing factor in the final decision that’s going to be made.”

Where to have the A&E?

He added that doctors had overwhelmingly backed using the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital as the county’s main A&E.

The MP urged everybody in Shrewsbury to come forward and have their say on the plans before the consultation closes on September 11.

But Mr Kawczynski said keeping services at Shrewsbury would benefit more people.

Mr Kawczynski said it was important there were no more delays to a planned £312m investment in Shropshire’s healthcare.

“We have been to hell and back trying to secure this money,” he said.

“It’s the single largest injection of cash in the NHS in Shropshire. I don’t want anything to impede this investment any further.

“We have already been going around The Wrekin on this for four years.

"The time has come to take a decision – not just for our interests but for the future generations in Shropshire who will benefit from this massive modernisation of services.

“In these last remaining weeks I urge as many residents from Shrewsbury as possible to take part in this consultation process.”

Political parties unite in Telford

His comments came as Ms Allan and Mr Pritchard threw their support behind the PRH.

Ms Allan, who represents the Telford constituency, urged residents to support Princess Royal Hospital in the public consultation.

“I am supporting option two because this is best for patients in Telford,” she said.

“We would get to keep our brilliant women and children’s unit. More focus on need, disadvantage and health inequalities is needed.”

Mark Pritchard, who represents The Wrekin constituency, said: “Like local Conservative councillors, Lucy and I support option two.

"That means every political party in Telford & Wrekin is united in fighting for this option.”

The recommended option is to house the county’s emergency department at Royal Shrewsbury Hospital.

Under that model, Telford’s Princess Royal Hospital would take on responsibility for providing planned care.

Option two would see Princess Royal Hospital house the emergency department and for Royal Shrewsbury Hospital to become the planned care site.

Both hospitals would have an urgent care centre that would be open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.