Shropshire MP urges role for all hospitals in shake-up
The Health Secretary has been asked to intervene in a bid to secure the future of all three community hospitals in south Shropshire.
Ludlow MP Philip Dunne claims the next stage of the NHS Future Fit work will consider retaining hospitals in Bridgnorth, Ludlow and Bishop's Castle.
Mr Dunne said the NHS is looking at turning hospitals in those areas into Urgent Care Centres and has now called on health secretary Jeremy Hunt to back his bid.
He said: "I was pleased to discuss? Shropshire's NHS Future Fit plans with the health secretary this week. He is fully supportive of taking care closer to patients in the community."
Fears have been growing small community hospitals in either Ludlow or Bridgnorth face a battle for survival as a result of a major shake-up of health services across the county.
Health bosses have indicated they are considering establishing four Urgent Care Centres across the county to deal with patients with minor injuries or ailments requiring same-day care.
The plan would see two of these located at Shrewsbury and Telford, with another potentially in the north of the county and the final one in the south.
The fear is that either Ludlow or Bridgnorth could lose out if just one Urgent Care Centre is selected for south Shropshire, with Bishop's Castle also entering the equation.
Mr Dunne said: "I have called consistently for the existing Minor Injuries Units ?in both Bridgnorth and Ludlow community hospitals to be upgraded to Urgent Care Centres.
"I have also argued the case for Bishop's Castle Community Hospital to become an Urgent Care Centre, so I am delighted by the Shropshire CCG board's decision to undertake work to assess the feasibility of bringing more services to each of these community hospitals.
"I shall campaign for our community hospitals achieving Urgent Care Centre status to bring more care closer to patients."
