999 row court threat

Campaigners are threatening to take ambulance managers to court over what they have branded an "unlawful" decision to close Shropshire's emergency control centre in Shrewsbury.Staff at the emergency operations centre at Bransford, Worcestershire, have served the West Midlands Ambulance Service NHS Trust with a "letter before claim". They are appealing to the trust to reverse its decision.

Last November the trust announced it was to move the control rooms at Bransford and Shrewsbury to its headquarters in Brierley Hill.

Campaigners said the move was the last step before the case is taken before the High Court for judicial review.

The trust now has 14 days to respond to the letter.

Former Shrewsbury ambulance technician, Steve Jetley, who has helped spearhead the fight to save the Shropshire centre, today welcomed the move.

"It is incredibly good news for the people of Shropshire," said Mr Jetley, who quit the service after a row over leaked documents.

"If action can be taken to reverse the disastrous decision, I will be delighted."

A trust spokesman said the letter had been passed to its barristers for a formal response.

He added: "This trust is determined to improve pati- ent care and moving to three Emergency Operations Centres will provide a significant boost to the way that the trust operates and will lead to more lives being saved, right across the region."

But Richard Burt, Liberal Democrat health spokesman for the West Midlands, and former Shrewsbury parliamentary candidate claimed the consultation leading to the decision was a "whitewash".

Heather Kidd, the party's prospective Ludlow candidate, said the letter had been assessed by a barrister as having a high chance of success. "If it succeeds, then the decision to close Shrewsbury as well as Bransford will ha- ve to be set aside for a new consultation process," she said.