Shrewsbury MP to call on colleagues to help lobby Government to fund Future Fit shortfall
Shrewsbury's MP will urge the county's other politicians to join him in lobbying the Government to fully fund the Future Fit hospitals shake-up once initial plans are finalised in the coming weeks, he said today.
Daniel Kawczynski met Chancellor Rishi Sunak in June, urging him to release the full amount of funding needed for the scheme as part of the Government's autumn comprehensive spending review.
It came after the National Audit Office said the scope of the £533 million project risks having to be changed as funding has only been secured for £312m of that amount.
Since the meeting, Mr Kawczynski says he has been in regular contact with the treasury about the matter.
It emerged last month that the initial business case for the scheme was expected to be finalised by the end of August – a month later than planned.
Mr Kawczynski said after it is published he would then be urging all of the county's MPs to join him in lobbying the Government to cover the funding shortfall.
If additional funding is not secured, the scope of the proposal may have to be changed which could require further consultation and cause even more delays.
Mr Kawczynski said: "I'm in ongoing discussions with the treasury.
"We are waiting for the business case to be published at the end of the month.
"I think it's important when the initial business plan is published that we hopefully collectively lobby the government for those additional funds."
The Future Fit project, which has since been renamed the "hospitals transformation programme", will see Royal Shrewsbury Hospital house the county's main A&E.
The 24-hour emergency unit at Telford's Princess Royal Hospital will be downgraded to a part-time 'A&E local' centre and consultant-led women-and-children services will move to Shrewsbury, leaving PRH as the county's site for planned care.
The rise in costs of the original scheme is mainly due to inflation.
Councillor Shaun Davies, leader of Telford & Wrekin Council, said the council has been opposed to the Future Fit proposals since their inception and the scheme needs a "complete re-think".
"We cannot support proposals which will downgrade Telford’s A&E department and see our women-and-children unit close," he said.
“Every time they’re asked, communities across Telford and Wrekin also oppose the plans.
“Despite this, the cost of the scheme has already risen to £500m and this is based on plans for meeting health needs in a pre-Covid world.
“The proposals need a complete re-think. We stand ready to work with all county MPs and Shropshire Council to put forward a solution that unites Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin and gives us the best possible health system for generations to come.”
Bosses at Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust said the hospitals had seen their "highest ever" levels of A&E activity in June and staff were doing a huge amount of work to try and mitigate the pressures.
Throughout the month there were hundreds of ambulances waiting more than an hour to hand over patients.
A total of £9.3m is currently being spent to expand capacity at Shrewsbury's A&E and bosses have revealed that the benefits are likely to be seen by the end of the year.
