Future Fit: Consultation needs to begin this summer, says Shrewsbury MP Daniel Kawczynski,

Daniel Kawczynski, Shrewsbury and Atcham MP made the comments after calling an emergency meeting to discuss the ongoing Future Fit process.

Following the meeting, the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust, which runs the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital and Telford’s Princess Royal Hospital, says it is now examining what short-term measures could be taken ahead of a decision by NHS Future Fit.

Held yesterday and also attended by Telford MP Lucy Allan, Simon Freeman, accountable officer for Shropshire Clinical Commissioning Group, and Simon Wright, chief executive of Shropshire and Telford Hospitals NHS Trust, the meeting was held after Mr Kawczynski said he wanted to discuss his concerns over “massive gridlock and delay” in the process.

He said: "We pressed upon them the need to start public consultation in the summer.

"We are very concerned because there are senior clinicians there who are saying "if this does not go ahead we are going to leave because the situation is unsustainable as it is". We got a very stark picture which is if Telford & Wrekin Council continues to block this change that could put both A&Es in danger and there could be more services taken out of the county from both hospitals because the current setting is unsustainable.

"Telford Council should respect the need to allow members of the public to have their say."

The meeting comes as an independent review into the programme was finally started following weeks of hold-ups. Consultants at specialist firm KPMG have been appointed to deliver a report into the process, which was launched more than three years ago.

Future Fit has proposed a main A&E department at Royal Shrewsbury Hospital with the current A&E at Telford’s Princess Royal Hospital being downgraded to an urgent care centre. The process has stalled following the threat of legal action from Telford & Wrekin Council.

In March SaTH’s Trust Board was told that all options had been explored and the only viable option, should a “tipping point”, where safe services could no longer be maintained, be reached, was the temporary suspension of A&E services at PRH overnight.

This was the third meeting to be held, which SaTH’s says was part of its commitment to open and honest management of its hospitals.

Debbie Kadum, Chief operating officer at SaTH, said: “The safety of our patients is our first priority.

“The fragility of our A&E Departments at PRH and RSH is well known, having been discussed by our own board and in meetings with our partners, as well as being the subject of a great deal of coverage in the media.

“Earlier this year, we discussed at our own trust board meeting the steps we have taken to try to improve our situation. However, it would be both irresponsible and dangerous for us not to plan before we reach a crisis point.

“We have proposed that we start planning for an overnight suspension of A&E services at PRH, but as part of that planning it is important that we test the robustness of that decision, which is why we have met with our partners today.

“This is not the end of the process. We will continue to review this, taking every step possible to avoid suspending these services, but if we are unable to recruit or ensure stability for our A&E departments we will unfortunately be in a position of recommending the need to take action to safeguard our patients.”