Lucy Allan: Future Fit's £312 million should be withheld unless Telford A&E is fully retained
The £312 million Future Fit funding for Shropshire's hospitals should only be given if a full A&E is retained at Telford, the town's MP has said.
During a meeting with Health Secretary Matt Hancock, Lucy Allan recommended that money only be given to the county's health bosses if a consultant-led A&E was open all hours at Princess Royal Hospital.
She said the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital Trust needed to compromise.
Her comments come after it was confirmed that Shrewsbury will house the county’s only main A&E. Telford’s A&E will become an A&E Local, although it is not yet clear what that will entail.
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Ms Allan said: "I am seeking 24/7 consultant-led A&E at Telford. The hospital trust has always been strongly opposed to this model and are continuing to resist this proposal.
"My recommendation to the Secretary of State is that Future Fit funding should be contingent on the Trust accepting full A&E at Telford.
"It’s wholly unacceptable that SaTH can choose to opt out of providing services in Telford at their discretion. They need to compromise. They cannot have it all their own way. The NHS is a public service.
"There is some way to go, but the Secretary of State is determined to find a solution and I am confident that a solution will be found."
Ensure
Wrekin MP Mark Pritchard said he had received assurances from the Secretary of State that A&E services would be staying in Telford.
Mr Pritchard said: "“It is good news that an A&E service will be staying in Telford despite all the local scaremongering. I asked the Secretary of State to ensure the local hospital trust undertakes to ensure the A&E is well staffed and provides the very best care for Telford and Wrekin residents.
"He has given me that assurance that the A&E Local will be part of the extra £312 million investment at the Trust.”
Their comments come after Ms Allan posted a video to Twitter saying that representatives of Wales 'had the ear' of Future Fit decision makers in a way that Telford's MPs had not.
She said: “The Secretary of State for Wales praised Matt Hancock and the decision to locate emergency service close to Wales and we’ve also seen Welsh Assembly Members come out and say this is great news for Wales.
“There is no doubt that throughout the process they had the ear of the decision makers in a way that Telford and Telford’s MPs did not.
"Telford’s needs are clearly greater, Telford’s needs have been ignored. The emphasis has always been throughout the process on the needs of Wales."
