MP accuses Telford & Wrekin council leader of ‘playing party politics’ with NHS
Telford and Wrekin council’s leader has been accused of ‘playing party politics with the NHS’ over his stance that the hospitals transformation programme needs to be reconsidered.
Last week plans were submitted for the transformation of the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital including a re-modelled and expanded A&E department.
The plans are a major step in the £312 million ‘Future Fit’ reorganisation of the two acute hospitals run by the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust (SaTH).
As part of the plans consultant-led maternity services will be moved from the Princess Royal Hospital (PRH). The Telford hospital would offer a 24-hour A&E Local service to deal with urgent treatment services.
Telford & Wrekin Council’s leader Shaun Davies said that the council are continuing to lobby the government’s health secretary Steve Barclay about the proposals.
“We are urging him to reconsider the closure plans for our A&E and women’s and children’s unit,” said cllr Davies at last week’s full council meeting.
“In a letter to the government our legal advisors have set out for a second time how the data which has been used to justify this decision is now eight years out of date.”
