Future Fit: MPs raise Shropshire hospital debate in Parliament

Both Telford MP Lucy Allan and Shrewsbury and Atcham MP Daniel Kawczynski raised concerns over delays to Future Fit and how information has been passed to residents.

After a process that has lasted several years and already cost in the region of £3m, Future Fit, the body set up by the Shropshire and Telford and Wrekin Clinical Commissioning Groups, recommended last year that a new emergency centre be built at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital, alongside urgent care services at both Shrewsbury and Telford’s Princess Royal.

After the recommendation was made, Telford & Wrekin Council threatened to lodge a legal challenge to halt the proceedings.

An independent review is now under way, with the results to be made public later this month. But Mr Kawczynski asked what more the Government could do to get through the deadlock during a session in the House of Commons yesterday.

He said: “The clinically-driven Future Fit process in Shropshire could lead to hundreds of millions of pounds of investment in our hospitals. That is being jeopardised by Telford CCG and Telford’s Labour council.

“When there is this gridlock between two local CCGs over a long period of time, what more can the Government do to reduce this deadlock?” Steve Brine, the parliamentary under-secretary of state for health, said: “I am aware that my honourable friend has been concerned about this for a long time.

“An independent review of Future Fit is taking place and he will know that Professor Simon Brake has been appointed as the independent chair of the joint committee of CCGs, agreed between them both.

“The review will report in July and will be considered by the local CCGs before next steps, including public consultation, are decided. Clear rules apply to any significant reconfigurations and I expect these to be followed in Shropshire, as in anywhere else.”

Ms Allan also asked whether CCGs should do more to communicate the facts about the plans for the hospitals to residents.

She said: “When political activists mislead and misinform my constituents about the future of our Princess Royal Hospital, does my right honourable friend agree that the CCG should communicate clearly and directly with residents so they can be assured that our A&E and our women and children’s services are safe.”

Mr Brine said: “Yes I do, I think CCGs should communicate direct with patients and they should do so clinically led to make the clinical case for any service reconfiguration.

“As I said to my honourable friend, the member for Shrewsbury, there are clear guidelines set out that they must follow in order to do that, there are five tests that must be met before configurations are brought forward and that should be the same in her area as in any other area.”