Leader urges people to sign letter against downgrading Telford hospital

Councillor Shaun Davies says the multi-million pound Future Fit proposals, now approved by the Joint Department of Health and Social Care and the NHS England Investment Committee, would make Telford become the largest town in England without a full A&E service.

About 700 people have signed the letter from Councillor Davies.

It says "The controversial plans will see Telford’s main hospital – the Princess Royal – lose its 24 hour A&E department and become an A&E Local, a model which has attracted widespread criticism from medical bodies.

"A borough the size of Telford, with a growing and ageing population, needs world class facilities, not a downgraded A&E Local that will be confusing and potentially dangerous for our residents.

"Furthermore the plans would move our consultant-led women and children’s services from Telford to Shrewsbury, while the Telford site would become the centre for planned care.

"The plans for hospital reorganisation in Telford and Shrewsbury make no sense whatsoever. This is clearly still the case and with the most recent proposals costed at over £500m, when only £312m is being made available, the question is what services will be scaled back?"

He added: "The Covid pandemic saw our local hospitals caring for people under immense pressure in a health system that was already struggling."

Councillor Davies is urging people to sign the letter by going online to nhs4all.co.uk

"Let’s not forget that two in three of the 18,742 people who officially responded to public consultation on Future Fit plans disagreed with moving emergency care to Shrewsbury," he said.

"Across Telford & Wrekin, people have been fighting plans to downgrade services at Telford’s main hospital, the Princess Royal, for years. We’re writing to the new Deputy Prime Minister and Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Thérèse Coffey, to ask her to take a fresh look at plans as a matter of urgency.

"Sign the letter to show your support."