Secretary of State for Wales: 'I fully back plan to transform healthcare in Shropshire and Mid Wales'
Secretary of State for Wales Alun Cairns gives his backing to landmark Future Fit hospitals decision.
This week has seen a landmark decision that could change the face of healthcare for the people of Shropshire and importantly Mid Wales.
I say “importantly Mid Wales” as of course as the Welsh Secretary it is my aim as a UK Government Cabinet Minister to ensure that the people of Powys and Ceredigion have access to world class healthcare locally.
In addition to the biggest hospital building programme for a generation set in motion across the UK, it is the decision by my close colleague, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Matt Hancock, to back with full throttle the advice from an independent panel of experts to proceed with plans to transform the hospital services for patients in Mid Wales and Shropshire.
The commitment to an emergency centre and a wide variety of services based at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital and the Princess Royal operating as an A&E Local ensures that residents in Mid Wales will continue to have, and benefit from improved, world class critical care on the doorstep.
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As a direct result of UK Government funding up to £312 million, it is these services, to include organised and planned care and 24 hour accident and emergency access, that will be available for people across Mid Wales.
Readers of this paper know the strong links between England and Wales in daily life, I am determined that they continue to be strengthened further by this Government, demonstrating that as one United Kingdom, a sharing of best practice and resource really benefits daily lives.
I don’t believe that there should be a compromise on quality and safety when it comes to healthcare, and thanks to UK Government investment both these two hospital sites will be able to deliver state-of-the-art facilities that will serve Welsh communities, as well as the communities of Shropshire.
Patients on either side of the border are entitled to consistently safe, high-quality emergency care local to communities and treatment 24-hours-a-day, seven-days-a-week, and the backing of this decision goes a considerable way to meet this.
The UK Government’s vision is very clear; thriving hospitals that are modelled and fit for purpose and ultimately delivering for patients needs regardless of where one lives.
And I am proud to be able to say that local services in England will remain available to the people of Mid Wales.
However let it also be known that for those who live on the English side of the border they too are able to access high quality treatment under the Welsh NHS system should it be required.
I fully back the Matt Hancock £312m plan to transform healthcare in Shropshire and Mid Wales to positively increase patient results and experience and it is only with bold decision making and the backing of UK Government funding can our National Health Service remain the envy of the world over.
