Hundreds of pounds pledged to Telford MP's campaign to stop Future Fit
Hundreds of pounds have been pledged to an online fundraising campaign to help mount a legal challenge against controversial hospital changes in Shropshire.
Telford MP Lucy Allan launched the campaign on CrowdJustice on Monday so that the Future Fit decision can be challenged in court.
There has since been more than 35 pledges and over £500 has been raised.
Ms Allan says £5,000 is needed to instruct solicitors to review the Future Fit process and get a barrister's specialist opinion on whether there are grounds to issue a judicial review.
See also:
Earlier this month, Health Secretary Matt Hancock gave the go-ahead for Future Fit to proceed with Shropshire's main emergency centre in Shrewsbury and an 'A&E Local' in Telford.
The terms of an 'A&E Local' have not yet been fully defined, although NHS England has suggested it would only be open for "core hours".
It comes as an online petition calling for both A&E departments to remain in Shropshire has gathered more than 5,100 signatures.
Ms Allan says that she will continue to work with Mr Hancock on the 'A&E Local' concept, but added: "However, at this stage it's clear that NHS management will not support 24/7 A&E at Princess Royal.
"A record £312m has been made available for our hospital services in Shropshire.
"A legal challenge will bring NHS management to the table and require them to think again when it comes to meeting Telford's needs."
Messages of support have also been posted on the online fundraising page by those who have pledged funding.
Challenge
Telford & Wrekin Council leader Shaun Davies says the authority is looking very closely at the merits of a judicial review.
He said a judicial review is an 'expensive and unpredictable legal tool' adding: "Judicial Review challenges the process and not a decision.
"It is not something that should be used on a whim."
He has accused Ms Allan of using the issue to 'extract hard earned money from hardworking people in Telford' and called it 'a morally bankrupt act'.
He added: "All Ms Allan has to do is get her government to ditch Future Fit, like Labour's Jon Ashworth has pledged."
Telford & Wrekin Council had formally challenged the Future Fit decision earlier this year, but Mr Hancock confirmed he had accepted advice from an independent panel that said: "The new model of hospital care should be implemented, and that the emergency care centre is better located at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital.
"The urgent care model should enable as much clinically appropriate care to be delivered at the Princess Royal Hospital as possible."
Pledges can be made at crowdjustice.com/case/save-telfords-hospital-services-stop-future-fit
The petition can also be signed at petition.parliament.uk/petitions/276300
