Telford & Wrekin Council calls on Prime Minister to halt A&E crisis
Councillors from all parties have almost unanimously voted to call on Prime Minister David Cameron to take "immediate action" to ease the A&E crisis in Telford – despite mudslinging over who was to blame for it.
Kuldip Sahota, leader of Telford & Wrekin Council, put forward a motion at last night's meeting of the full council at The Place in Oakengates urging the PM to intervene.
It comes as a report from Government watchdog the Care Quality Commission published this week said Shrewsbury and Telford Hospitals NHS Trust needed to improve in four out of five key areas. It has also been given a "requires improvement" rating overall.
Following a vote in which 46 councillors supported the motion and three abstained, the local authority is calling on Downing Street to help ease the pressure on beleaguered staff at the Princess Royal site.
Councillor Sahota said: "The council sincerely thanks the hard work of doctors, nurses, paramedics, health care assistants and all support staff at A&E at the Princess Royal Hospital who are having to deal with the ongoing crisis caused by the Government's £3bn top down re-organisation.
"Government cuts to local government, together with slashing preventative funding, clearly demonstrates the need for Telford Princess Royal Hospital to remain a full 24 hours, seven day a week A&E department.
"The council therefore calls on David Cameron to take immediate action to ease pressure on A&E by helping families to see a GP, getting more nurses answering calls to NHS 111, halting the closures of walk-in centres and recruiting former nurses back into the NHS to help deal with staffing pressures."
Labour cabinet member Councillor Shaun Davies accused Mr Cameron of "wrecking our NHS". But Tory councillor Eric Carter said the blame lay at Labour and Tony Blair's door, claiming it was the former PM's decision in 2004 to halve the hours of doctors while doubling their pay that meant people had to go to A&E because they couldn't get in to see their GP.
Labour cabinet member Councillor Liz Clare hit out, saying: "I am absolutely disgusted, this shouldn't be about politics and harping on about the past or who is to blame for it.
"I am interested in the future, and in keeping an A&E in Telford.
"I am, quite frankly appalled. We shouldn't have to put forward a motion to get people (Conservative councillors) who are, quite frankly, closer to the Government than we are, to push for something on our resident's behalf.
"Let's stop playing party politics."
Following the vote, a letter will now be drafted to the PM, the meeting heard.
