Future Fit: Shropshire health chiefs hit out at 'false' claims

At pop-up events campaigners against the Future Fit process have been handing out flyers.

Shropshire Clinical Commissioning Group's accountable officer Simon Freeman believes misinformation is being put out to the public, and he is inviting people to go along to events, such as one in Telford tomorrow and another in Shrewsbury on Thursday to get the correct information.

He said: "This is an opportunity to get the right information. There is information which at times are falsehoods put out there.

"To these campaign groups I would say this is about better care for patients, better outcomes, better buildings and about better staff: We have over £300 million being invested and what could possibly be better than that?

See also:

• Fight to keep Telford A&E starts here, says council

• Labour chiefs call for complete rethink of Shropshire health plans

"There has been misinformation and it is up to the people to come along to see themselves what is current.

"I saw one message that said 10 reasons why Future Fit will kill you. That is just completely untrue, and it doesn't help with allowing people to understand the correct information.

"I would say come along with an open mind, and for them to make their own mind up."

Ever since the preferred option was announced, the Future Fit scheme has come under scrutiny.

After numerous delays to the consultation it finally got under way last week, and will now run until September.

In total there will be around 70 pop-up events in the county, and eight marketplace events where the public can chat with clinicians and health bosses regarding the consultation and Future Fit.

Health bosses will then conduct a mid review at the end of July to gauge how the consultation is going and what questions have been asked more than others.

Mr Freeman added: "We want people to submit as many responses as possible, so we can get a balanced set of responses."