Health Secretary’s comments ‘show confusion on Telford hospital's A&E local’

The details of what the proposal, for Telford’s Princess Royal Hospital, would mean have yet to be revealed, with critics voicing concern it would be the equivalent of a ‘Tesco Local’ – scaled down from the fully functioning A&E planned for neighbouring Shrewsbury.

The issue is part of the ‘Future Fit’ reconfiguration of Royal Shrewsbury Hospital and Princess Royal Hospital in Telford – both managed by Shrewsbury & Telford Hospital NHS Trust.

Under the long-delayed Future Fit plans, RSH would have a 24-hour A&E, and would also be home to consultant-led women and children’s services – which are currently provided at PRH.

Originally PRH was to have an urgent care centre, and become the centre for planned care.

The issue had caused significant concern, protests and political challenges, with Telford residents concerned at the loss of services – particularly A&E.

However, an intervention from the previous Health Secretary Matt Hancock, saw him order the creation of an ‘A&E Local’ to be based at PRH.

Speaking in October 2019 he said: “Having listened to and accepted the advice of independent clinical experts, I have asked NHS England to come forward with proposals within a month on how they will keep the A&E in Telford open as an A&E Local so that the Princess Royal Hospital can continue to deliver the urgent and emergency care the residents in the growing town of Telford need.”

However, despite the instruction there has never been clarity on what form the ‘A&E Local’ would take.

Health Secretary Sajid Javid has now said local health bosses need to explain publicly what the service would be.

In his letter to Mark Brandreth, interim accountable officer of Shropshire Telford & Wrekin Clinical Commissioning Group, Mr Javid said: “I want to take this opportunity to ask you for a progress update and in particular to set out publicly the services that will be delivered at Telford under this proposal.”

In response, Mr Brandreth said: “We received a letter yesterday from the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Sajid Javid MP, regarding our hospital transformation programme, we will respond in due course.”

The response means people will have to wait a little longer to find out what the plan will mean, with no definitive timescale for clarity on the plan.

Telford MP Lucy Allan welcomed Mr Javid’s intervention, adding that she had become concerned at being unable to get confirmation from the local NHS as to what A&E services will be delivered from PRH.

She said: “I am very grateful to the Secretary of State for seeking clarification over the direction of Future Fit, something I have been pushing for over many months.

“Telford residents deserve to know the plans for their local hospital and not be kept in the dark by the CCG or the council.

“I look forward to hearing the answer from the local NHS and will continue to push for 24/7 A&E services in Telford.”