No questions from public allowed at crunch Future Fit meeting in Newport
Health bosses have come under fire after campaigners were told next week's crunch meeting on Future Fit will not be open to questions from the public.
A vote on the decision over the future of the county’s health services will be taken by a 15-person panel at Harper Adams University at Edgmond, near Newport, on Tuesday.
The result of the vote will confirm whether the county’s only A&E department is based at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital or Princess Royal Hospital in Telford, though bosses have been recommended to rubber stamp the Shrewsbury option.
In a letter to Gill George, chairwoman of Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin Defend Our NHS, bosses from Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin Clinical Commissioning Groups say the public's views on the plans were taken into consideration during the 15-week consultation period last year.
They say the CCGs are under no obligation to hold the meeting in public, however people are invited to observe 'in the interests of being open, transparent and honest'.
But Ms George has criticised the decision not to allow questions at the meeting.
She said: "It is really frightening that health leaders feel entitled to act entirely without public consent to force these damaging cuts and closures through.
"There’s something very basic that they’ve forgotten.
"They’re only temporary custodians of the NHS, but it belongs to all of us, to the public as whole.
"We simply can’t allow them to force through Future Fit. They’re destroying something that isn’t theirs to destroy."
For those who cannot attend, the meeting will be live streamed at nhsfuturefit.org
The letter signed by CCG chiefs said: "Over the last six years, we have provided many opportunities for people to have their say at every stage of the Future Fit programme.
"During the 15-week consultation, we received thousands of survey responses and hundreds of letters/ emails and feedback from meetings and focus groups.
"As part of our conscientious consideration phase, we have listened to and taken into account the views and ideas expressed by members of the public.
"Given the extent of the consultation, the meeting will not be open to questions, and therefore the disadvantage you have identified for attending via ‘live stream’ does not arise."
Last week, CCG bosses were criticised by Shropshire Defend Our NHS for the choice of venue and the timing of the meeting.
The group claimed that people using public transport will be unable to attend.
Future Fit officials responded saying 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.
They said Harper Adams University proved to be the best venue to serve the meeting, after others were considered.
The meeting will start at 6.30pm.
