Future Fit: Shropshire NHS ‘between a rock and a hard place’ says councillor
A Shropshire councillor has spoken of his concerns over the Future Fit process.
People are being asked for their opinion on where in Shropshire an Accident & Emergency centre should be based – either at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital or at Telford’s Princess Royal Hospital.
The preferred Future Fit option, which has been signed off by both Telford and Shropshire CCGs, is for the county’s emergency centre to be based at Shrewsbury – and Telford’s Princess Royal Hospital to take on the responsibility for planned care. It would be supported by two urgent care centres at both the PRH and RSH.
Andy Boddington, who represents Ludlow North on Shropshire Council, said: “We are between a rock and a hard place in Shropshire. The NHS is concentrating services in bigger centres that are better resourced. There is a very strong case for that. But it hits people in rural areas hard because they must travel further for essential care.
“The main issue right now is the location of the A&E. We should keep both open. But if there is to be only one A&E, the best option for Ludlow is for it to be in Shrewsbury.
"The row over the emergency centre has distracted attention from the vital role that community health services play. Mothers cannot now give birth in Ludlow, Bridgnorth or Oswestry. Plans for boosting community health services have been all but forgotten.
“Public opinion is firmly behind the NHS and so am I. But I am sorry that the debate in this county has descended into conflict rather than collaboration. We need to work together to get the best deal we can for our rural county.”
His comments come following the Future Fit open event at the Mascall Centre in Ludlow. A number of clinicians were on hand to answer questions from the many members of the public who attended the drop-in event.
Among these was Jessica Sokolov, deputy chair of Shropshire CCG, who said: “I would hope that this gives people in the south of the county the opportunity to ask questions directly to those involved in the development of the model. They can voice their concerns. What we want to do is to reassure them and take on the views of the people using the service.”
