Shrewsbury MP to lobby Parliament for clarity on Future Fit

Daniel Kawczynski and fellow Shropshire MPs will be meeting with the Future Fit team later this month to ask for their view and how the issue can move forward.

Leaked papers this week revealed the Future Fit is facing a cash crisis. Originally costed at £312 million, the figure has now risen to £498 million before any changes are implemented.

The scheme will see Royal Shrewsbury Hospital house the county's main emergency centre with planned care based at the Princess Royal Hospital in Telford.

See also:

• Future Fit: Ex-hospital boss claims Shropshire public were 'misled' over costs

• Future Fit: It’s time for Plan B, says former boss of hospital

• Future Fit: Cash crisis means scheme could be carried out in phases or scaled back

• Future Fit: Cost of original plans soar to £498 MILLION, leaked report reveals

Mr Kawczynski said: "The policy and legislation was passed in 2012-13 for devolving power away from Whitehall and down to local clinicians was very sensible. We have seen how in certain counties this has worked in how clinicians work together with the local CCG and they have managed to make real improvements.

"In Shropshire we have seen the complete opposite. We have not been able to come together as a county to back the clinicians.We have to ask how long the process is going to be delayed as we have seen a consequence over our inability to make a decision. I am calling for a debate in Parliament and I will be lobbying the Secretary of State to see what happens when we have a situation where one council regularly tries to thwart a decision.

"I will be meeting with the new chief executive of SaTH, Louise Barnett, when she takes up her role. We will be in a good position to understand what we need to address in lobbying both locally and within the Government. If the costs of Future Fit are to rise, will this be done piecemeal or will we have to find additional money.

"We have debated Future Fit for six years and the ongoing 'tit for tat' is not constructive. The 300 doctors whose views were sought on the proposals have not changed their minds, they have been consistent and this is the optimum solution for the safety of patients. The people who are responsible for taking this decision have held to that view consistently."

The leaked document says the trust that runs the hospitals has put forward two options due to rising costs. One option is for a 'restrictive development' while the other option is for a 'phased development'.