Future Fit: Health bosses deny Telford council leader claims programme has stalled

The leader of Telford & Wrekin Council leader Shaun Davies said the scheme’s business plan doesn’t ‘stack up’ and needs drastic rewriting.

Councillor Davies said: “We have said all along that the preferred option which includes moving the £28 million Women and Children’s Centre opened at the Princess Royal Hospital just three years ago, makes no sense and the case for this is fundamentally flawed.”

He said: "“Future Fit has once again failed to deliver – that they can’t hit their own date to start public consultation is just another indication of a process with more holes than sieve.”

In response, Shropshire Clinical Commissioning Group said it is working hard to achieve the best business plan as possible for patients.

The group’s accountable officer, Dr Simon Freeman, said: “We have had a meeting with NHS England on October 19.

“They have asked for a small number of clarifications to be done and we are meeting with them again on November 16.

“They are working with us on some of the details to get the best documentation possible in place.

“They have been pleased to read more details on ideas for the community modelling rather than just hearing verbal reports. We are working side by side with them on the business plan.

“It has not stalled.”

The CCG along with Telford & Wrekin CCG is in the final stages of preparing for a public consultation on the Future Fit programme, which is recommending the creation of a main emergency centre at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital, with the Princess Royal in Telford becoming the centre for planned care.

Proposals include a new emergency centre and consultant led women and children’s services at RSH.

The process of reorganising the hospital services began more than three years ago with millions of pounds being spent on deciding where the services should be located.

Doctors based at the hospitals have previously said that “doing nothing is not an option” and that services need to be changed to make the hospitals sustainable for the future. Staffing levels at both hospitals also remain an issue and chiefs hope changes will make it easier to recruit and keep staff.

A special Future Fit board came up with its preferred option of the A&E unit at the RSH last year sparking controversy with critics calling for the two hospitals to retain existing departments.

Telford & Wrekin Council threatened legal action and it was decided that a review should be taken into how the decision making process was carried out. The review concluded that there was no guarantee the money needed to make the proposed changes will be available.

It is concerned about funding and the need for a proper plan for the future of community care.

Following the go-ahead from NHS England, Plans are expected to go to public consultation and a final decision will then be made in the new year.