Future Fit: ‘At last, a solution led by staff on front line’ - Mark Pritchard

For years the local hospital trust has been indebted and has lacked strategic grip and focus.

It was also previously the case that government ministers, under successive Conservative, Labour and coalition governments, could not help themselves from constantly meddling in local health decisions.

It was a situation that local people rightly claimed had blighted Shropshire’s strained and under-funded health services over many years.

I agree with that analysis.

See also:

• Shrewsbury's reaction to Future Fit: Relief, but sympathy too

• Telford's reaction to Future Fit: Anger, confusion and concern at impact of changes

• Future Fit: What happens next?

• Future Fit 'a disaster' for Shropshire patients - Gill George of Defend Our NHS

• Future Fit: Judicial review could be considered, says Telford council leader

• 'An absolute catastrophe': Furious reaction to news that Telford A&E will be downgraded under Future Fit

• Future Fit allowed to go ahead with emergency centre in Shrewsbury

That is why the Future Fit programme, albeit often clumsy, and certainly very late in reaching its recommendations, has proved to be the antidote to these justified criticisms.

It has been led by more than three hundred local clinicians, doctors and senior nurses.

That means the reconfiguration of local health services has, finally, been driven by medically trained hospital staff – and not by jarring local councillors or remote diktats out of Whitehall.

Local people wanted local health experts to own local health decisions. The Future Fit Programme does that.