MP welcomes £21m hospital bed funding
An MP has welcomed the news that local hospitals will be getting cash to reduce Shropshire’s “catastrophic” A&E waiting times.
Helen Morgan, North Shropshire's Liberal Democrat MP, said the investment from the Government was "long overdue".
It comes after the Department of Health confirmed that Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin NHS Integrated Care Board would be receiving £21.4 million to combat A&E delays.
The funding is part of the Urgent and Emergency Care Recovery plan published in January, aimed at tackling waiting times by creating create new beds in urgent and emergency care services, with Shropshire getting 52 extra beds – 20 at Royal shrewsbury Hospital, and 32 at Princess Royal Hospital in Telford.
Mrs Morgan said: "Shropshire’s catastrophic A&E waiting times are the worst in the country and investment from the Government to begin improving the service is long overdue.
“We’ve been campaigning hard to raise this issue in Parliament since day one, and fighting hard to get Shropshire’s NHS the support it needs to properly function. The new emergency care plan is a welcome start – even if it is months or years later than it should have been.
“I’ll be working hard to monitor progress and keep pushing to save our NHS and get Shropshire residents the high-quality service they deserve.”
