Plans to develop Future Fit continue as hospital bosses await decision
The boss of Shropshire's hospitals says plans will carry on as normal to develop the outline business case for the Future Fit scheme.
It comes as Health Secretary Matt Hancock has asked an advisory panel to rule whether the decision should be reviewed.
The independent panel will have to decide by the end of May if a full review is necessary.
The Future Fit proposals, which were approved by Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin clinical commissioning groups in January, would see Telford’s Princess Royal Hospital lose its A&E and consultant-led women and children’s services.
Both would be based at Royal Shrewsbury Hospital, while PRH would become a centre for planned care.
Simon Wright, chief executive of Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust (Sath), said he hoped the panel would arrive at a decision relatively quickly and work would continue as usual to develop the next stage for the scheme.
He said the trust had not been asked to provide any information as yet, but would support any requests.
Defending the Future Fit scheme, he said the process undertaken had been 'robust' and there had been 'checks and balances' along the way.
He added: "We are carrying on as normal. The outline business case is next in the process.
"We are busily looking to build that case.
"We will continue to progress that work in order to meet the deadlines identified."
There have been numerous calls for the plans to be scrapped and both Telford MP Lucy Allan and Wrekin MP Mark Pritchard have called for the decision to be reviewed.
The formal referral, asking for the review, was made by Telford & Wrekin Council and council leader Shaun Davies said the legal argument ran to 61 pages.
A review could recommend changes to the decision, potentially putting the Future Fit process at risk, or confirm proceedings as planned.
Health bosses say the Future Fit programme will lead to better conditions, top facilities and will make it easier to recruit the staff needed, reducing the need for agency workers.
Clinicians have also commented that separating emergency and planned care will bring other benefits, such as fewer planned operations having to be cancelled.
Thousands of people contributed their views to the Future Fit plans during a public consultation last year. An update on the scheme will be given to Sath's board at a meeting on Thursday.
