Future Fit referral welcomed by Labour officials across Shropshire and Mid Wales

An emergency meeting of the council took place last Monday in response to the decision, which will shake-up hospital services in Shropshire and leave the county with a single emergency department in Shrewsbury.

A motion which called for the council to formally report the decision to Health Secretary Matt Hancock for review won unanimous support.

The council said the referral to the Secretary of State would take a few weeks to complete and it would inform the area’s two clinical commissioning groups, which made the decision.

Peter Bradley, chairman of The Wrekin Labour Party and former MP for The Wrekin, said he now hopes Mr Hancock will carefully look at the facts.

He said: “The local Labour Parties throughout Shropshire and Mid Wales have been united in our opposition to Future Fit from the day it was launched.

"Throughout that time, Conservative MPs have ducked their duty to their constituents by claiming that the plans had nothing to do with their Government. That is certainly not the case now.

“If he looks at the facts, recognises the damage Future Fit will do to our local health services and understands the depth of public feeling against it, Matt Hancock will send the CCGs back to the drawing board.

"That’s what we’ve campaigned for from the outset and, if he does, we’ll be the first to celebrate.

"But the decision is his; the buck stops with the Government.”

Roger Walker, chair of north Shropshire Labour Party, says Future Fit will have deeply worrying consequences for people in the north of the county.

He said: "We’re particularly concerned that closing one of Shropshire’s A&Es and the pressure this will place on the ambulance service will put patients at risk.

"We need Matt Hancock to intervene and, if he genuinely has the interests of the community at heart, he’ll have no option but to order a rethink.”

Charlie Scotton-Peters, chair of Ludlow Labour Party, said the county needs properly integrated services which bring care closer to the community, especially in rural areas.

"Future Fit will produce shiny new buildings in Shrewsbury while our local services continue to suffer because of lack of funding," he said.

"The Government needs to think again.”

Kait Duerden, secretary of Montgomeryshire Labour Party, has also expressed concerns that locating all planned treatments in Telford will create huge problems for patients and their families in Mid Wales.

Under the Future Fit scheme, Princess Royal Hospital in Telford will take over responsibility for planned care in the future.

Both PRH and Royal Shrewsbury Hospital will have 24/7 urgent care centres, but the most seriously ill patients will be taken to Shrewsbury.

Health chiefs say the scheme will bring many benefits, including improved facilities and fewer operations being cancelled.