Shropshire Star

Future Fit plans 'missing crucial detail', claim Labour officials

Labour officials have questioned if the Shropshire's Future Fit health plans are "reasonable, responsible or safe", claiming there is an absence of crucial information.

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A letter sent to health bosses on behalf of Labour parties across Shropshire and Montgomeryshire says there is a lack of information surrounding transport, finances and who will run the urgent care centres.

Addressed to Dr Simon Freeman, accountable officer for Shropshire Clinical Commissioning Group, and David Evans, chief officer at Telford & Wrekin CCG, chairman of The Wrekin Labour Party branch Peter Bradley says there are still concerns which have not been answered.

He says there have been no answers provided on the affect the proposals will have on ambulance services and if there will be changes to public transport to improve access to the county's hospitals.

The letter also states that the financial arrangements have not been made clear and there is no indication about who will run the urgent care centres.

It asks health bosses: "In the absence of such crucial information, how is it reasonable, responsible or safe for the CCGs to have agreed their current proposals for Future Fit?

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"How in all conscience do you justify launching a consultation exercise when vital information on which the public ought to be able to form a judgment will only be available after the consultation has closed?"

Mr Bradley said: "We know from our own consultation throughout Shropshire and Mid Wales that two of the most important issues for local people are where, how quickly and how expertly they can be treated in an emergency and how patients and their families can get to hospital by public transport for routine treatments or to visit loved ones.

“It’s frankly astonishing that these are the very issues on which the CCGs have least to say. Nor can they tell us how Future Fit will be funded and how much the local NHS will have to pay back each year to private lenders.

Future Fit:

"In every case they’ve admitted that this information will only be available after the consultation has closed. That’s simply not good enough.

“It’s clearer than ever that Future Fit is ill-conceived and premature.

"It’s vital that the CCGs go back to the drawing board and design a scheme which genuinely meets the community’s long-term needs.

"It’s equally urgent that local MPs work together to lobby the government for the fair funding necessary to implement it.”

Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin CCGs are yet to respond to the letter.

The Future Fit public consultation is running until September 11.

The plans under Future Fit include having a single emergency centre for the county at either Royal Shrewsbury Hospital or Telford's Princess Royal Hospital.

It involves separating emergency and planned care and setting up urgent care centres at both hospitals.

For more information visit nhsfuturefit.org