MPs accuse council leader of 'relentless scaremongering' over Future Fit and A&E Local

Telford & Wrekin Council’s leader Shaun Davies has campaigned against plans for A&E care at Princess Royal Hospital (PRH) in Telford to be downgraded as part of the £312million Future Fit process.

MP for Telford, Lucy Allan, has accused the council leader of ‘spinning a false narrative’ about the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospitals Transformation Programme.

She added: “The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital trust is one of the worst performing hospital trusts in the country. Improving access to healthcare and improving health outcomes is a matter of utmost importance to Telford residents.

“Government has provided very significant and much-needed investment to enable local clinicians to work up the best possible hospital improvement plan.

“If he wants to be taken seriously as a politician he needs to stop grandstanding and properly engage with residents and local clinicians on this vital issue; he needs to take time to understand what the clinicians’ proposal means for local people and their health outcomes.

“Senior clinicians are adamant that their plan will improve access and improve patient care for Telford residents. Senior clinicians say that their plan is the best use of this very significant and much-needed investment into our hospital care.

“Yet Councillor Davies has used taxpayers’ money to try and block the clinicians' plan leading to delays in implementation. This is deeply irresponsible. The delays are impacting health outcomes for my constituents.”

Councillor Davies will be Labour’s candidate for the Telford seat at this year’s General Election.

He believes that if Labour win the election then party leader Keir Starmer and Wes Streeting (Shadow Secretary of state for Health and Social Care) will review the hospital transformation scheme.

The council leader also hopes for a delay in contracts being rewarded for the transformation process until after the election.

“Councillor Davies appears unaware that clinicians have not worked up a plan B,” added Mrs Allan.

“A future Labour Government could either support our clinicians and continue with their improvement plan, or block it as Councillor Davies would like to see happen.

“If the proposal is blocked we would be left with the existing performance and no improvements. Continuing as we are is wholly unacceptable to local residents. Councillor Davies ought to be aware of that.

“Councillor Davies wants to be Telford’s MP. He needs to listen to patients and senior clinicians. He needs to stop indulging in childish political stunts that people see straight through and start prioritising the needs of local constituents. His behaviour on this issue has been shameful.”

An Independent Reconfiguration Panel this week confirmed that transformation plans can continue.

However, it made a list of recommendations which included scrapping the phrase ‘A&E Local’ to describe downgraded emergency services at PRH.

Councillor Davies called on Mrs Allan, along with MP for The Wrekin, Mark Pritchard, to ‘apologise’ to their constituents for ‘attempting to mislead them’ over the phrase A&E Local.

Mr Pritchard has responded to the council leader and said: “Councillor Davies should apologise for his relentless scaremongering.

“Instead he should be calling for an end to the junior doctors’ strike, which is causing pain, misery and suffering for hundreds of local patients.

“I am pleased the Health Secretary has previously confirmed there will be an A&E Local, whatever regional officials might say. In fact, even the response to Councillor Davies confirms the PRH will retain 24/7 cover.

“The PRH will become the new centre for all elective surgery in the county."