Boris Johnson: 'We will see that Future Fit is done' - video
The Health Secretary will personally intervene to ensure the Future Fit hospital shake-up goes ahead, Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said.
During Prime Minister's Questions (PMQs) today, Shrewsbury MP Daniel Kawczynski asked Mr Johnson to help 'break the deadlock' and prevent further delays.
See the clip from PMQs here:
There have been threats of legal action and repeated calls for a rethink of the plan, which Health Sectary Matt Hancock gave his approval to last year.
He revised the scheme to include an 'A&E Local' at Princess Royal Hospital in Telford, but the county's main emergency centre will be based at Royal Shrewsbury Hospital.
Mr Kawczynski's request to Mr Johnson comes as the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust, which runs the hospitals, is working on the business case so the scheme can become a reality.
Asking his question in the House of Commons today, he said: "The Prime Minister will know that the Future Fit programme is a £312 million investment in upgrading and modernising hospital services in Shropshire.
See also:
"Telford council, a medically illiterate organisation has managed to prevent these changes over the last six years, undermining the 300 local doctors and surgeons who believe it's essential for patient safety.
"Will the Prime Minister intervene to use his good offices to help us break this deadlock, otherwise patient safety will be put at risk at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital."
In response, Mr Johnson said: "We are indeed getting on with that job and the Secretary of State for Health says that he will personally intervene to ensure that is done."
Mr Kawczynski has already met Mr Hancock to call for a change in Government legislation and has welcomed Mr Johnson's response.
He said: "I'm delighted I've got a commitment from the Prime Minister that the Secretary of State will intervene.
"Unless he does, this paralysis will continue and lives will inevitably be lost.
"I'm not going to stand aside, we need to empower the doctors and give them the backing they require."
Telford MP Lucy Allan, who is calling for a brand new critical care hospital to be built, said: "As more money is now needed for any option, the decision makers have the perfect opportunity to deliver a better solution than the ‘Shrewsbury-takes-all’ proposal.
"I am confident that clinicians will give full consideration to value for money and will examine whether a standalone critical care hospital on the M54 is now financially viable.
"This was always the clinicians’ preference and of course it is quicker to deliver as it would be built on a vacant site rather than around an existing hospital.
"Both Shropshire Council and Telford & Wrekin Council support this option and I am sure if we could get the go ahead everyone would come together to support this facility for the county.”
Telford & Wrekin Council asked Mr Hancock to review the plans last year after they were approved by health commissioners.
After the Health Secretary made his ruling in October, campaigners have continued their calls for the plans to be redrawn.
A document leaked to the Shropshire Star last month also revealed the cost of the original plans had risen from £312m to almost £500m.
Last week, Telford & Wrekin Council bosses said the authority had sought to get the "best deal" for the whole of the county every step of the way in the Future Fit process.
They said the referral was justified and that they would "never apologise for standing up for the best interests of people living in, working in and visiting our borough".
