Future Fit officials criticised over Newport venue for crucial vote

A vote over the future of Shropshire's health services will be taken by a 15-person panel at Newport's Harper Adams University on January 29.

The result of the vote will confirm whether the county's only A&E department is based at Royal Shrewsbury Hospital or Princess Royal Hospital Telford.

Shropshire Defend our NHS has voiced criticism of the location and the timing of the meeting – which is also being shown live on the internet – claiming that people using public transport will be unable to attend.

A statement issued by the group said: "The Joint CCG Committee to take final decisions on Future Fit? You would expect this to be held in central Telford or Shrewsbury – in a population centre with reasonable public transport links. Not this time. It’ll be at Harper Adams Agricultural College/University – near the village of Edgmond, and two-and-a-half miles from Newport.

"Anyone travelling by public transport will have to leave Telford just after 4pm for a 6.30pm meeting; or just after 5pm from Shrewsbury; just after 4pm from Ludlow, 3.30pm from Bridgnorth, 4.10pm from Oswestry. One problem, though, for any public transport user. You only get to stay for the first minute of the meeting, before walking to the bus stop to catch the last bus that’ll take you home."

'Misleading'

Future Fit officials have issued a robust defence of their decision, with a statement from David Evans, chief officer at Telford CCG and Dr Simon Freeman, accountable officer at Shropshire CCG, saying: “We are perplexed and disappointed to read the comments from Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin Defend Our NHS.

"These comments are simply untrue and misleading to the public. We strongly refute their suggestion that we are ‘hiding key information from the public’. Throughout the Future Fit process, we have been open, honest and transparent to the public, updating people at every stage and publishing key documents as soon as they are available."

They added: “The previous Joint Committee meeting in August 2017 was held in Shrewsbury and therefore the CCGs decided to hold this next meeting in Telford & Wrekin. There is no obligation on the CCGs to hold this meeting in public. However, the CCGs decided that, in the interests of being open, transparent and honest, members of the public would be invited to attend. For those who are unable to attend, they will be able to view it live online via the Future Fit website.

“We needed a venue that could accommodate as many people as possible, that has the right facilities and is available on a date in which all members of the Joint Committee could attend. Due to these reasons, Harper Adams University proved to be the best venue to serve this meeting.”