Future Fit: Ballot box vote on future of A&E in Shropshire

Around £1,000 will be spent organising the poll, in which voters will say whether they want a single A&E unit to be based in Shrewsbury or Telford.

Welshpool Town Council says it wants to clear up how people feel about the Future Fit review of services at Royal Shrewsbury and Princess Royal hospitals.

It could mean the setting up of ballot boxes at polling stations.

Town Clerk Robert Robinson believes it is a simpler way to see what the people of Welshpool want and thinks it will help participate to the Future Fit consultation.

He said: “There have been so many health surveys in the last few years they’ve been filled in by everyone, even the cat and the dog. People are sick and tired of them and this presents a much easier way for people to give their view.

“We would have to wait until the options are released by the Future Fit board before putting them the vote to the people.“A lot of people get confused by the terminology. Everyone knows what A&E is, but critical care and urgent care confuses people, so hopefully this will be a lot more simple for people.”

Future Fit is run by its own board, under the county’s two clinical commissioning groups, and is looking at the re-organisation of hospital services in Shropshire. It has been running for over three years and has cost more than £3 million.

Previously it recommended one A&E unit set up at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital with the Princess Royal Hospital in Telford having it’s department downgraded to an urgent care centre. But the review is currently on hold after members of Shropshire and Telford and Wrekin CCGs failed to reach a decision on a single base at Shrewsbury, and transferring some women and children’s services from Telford to Shrewsbury.

It is subject to an independent review, and last week Telford MP Lucy Allan criticised the ‘incompetence’ of the senior management behind Future Fit.

The idea for the referendum was put forward by the care committee of the council and further discussions will take place at tomorrow’s town council meeting. Mr Robinson said: “It appears the consultation will run from September to December, so that is when we will hold it. It will be a proper referendum, people can come and cast their vote in a simple form, and we will be able to do postal votes as well.

“People need it in a simpler way, and this is the best way to do that.”

The issue will be discussed at a town council meeting tomorrow.

He also confirmed money is left over from May’s elections, which can be used to fund the referendum.

He added: “In the May elections some seats in wards were left uncontested so the money put aside for that election was not used. So for this proposed referendum there is money available from that budget.”

It is proposed that the days voting will run like a normal election from 7am to 10pm in the town hall.

Last month Montgomeryshire MP Glyn Davies called for NHS managers to put aside party politics and make decision quickly on the future of services.

He said: “Partisan politics has frustrated this proposal, and it is utterly disgraceful that partisan politics has been put before patients. It must stop. I accept it’s not easy to move forward, while there are individuals trying to frustrate progress.”