MP tells PM ‘we need to get on with Shropshire A&E rejig’ to avoid opponents 'trashing' it
Shrewsbury MP Daniel Kawczynski has been pressing the Prime Minister over what he says is the importance of plans to re-shape Shropshire's hospital services – and the need to start work before a general election.
Mr Kawczynski, Shrewsbury & Atcham's Conservative MP, revealed that he has raised the issue of the county's £312m 'Future Fit' hospitals transformation project with Rishi Sunak, when they met in the Prime Minister's office.
The MP said he spoke about the need to commence the work, which affects Royal Shrewsbury Hospital (RSH) and Princess Royal Hospital (PRH) in Telford – both run by Shrewsbury & Telford Hospital NHS Trust (SaTH).
Mr Kawczynski said he wanted to see work begin before any potential general election – so there is no chance of the project being cancelled by political opponents.
Shrewsbury & Atcham's Labour Party's chairman Paul Forrest, last year said that the county should retain both full A&E departments in Shrewsbury and Telford, while Telford's Labour Party, led by Telford & Wrekin Council leader, Shaun Davies, has led vocal opposition to the Future Fit plans – saying unequivocally that they should be scrapped.
Mr Davies is also standing to become Telford's MP – having been selected as the Labour candidate ahead of the general election.
Mr Kawczynski said: "We have to start the construction before the start of the next general election – so that in the unlikely event of us losing the election Councillor Shaun Davies cannot persuade Keir Starmer to trash the project."
He added: "It is my intention to see construction and modernisation of A&E services start before the general election."
Under the Future Fit plans, which have faced major delays, RSH would become the base for the county's only 24-hour A&E department – currently both RSH and PRH offer the service.
PRH will have what has been described as an 'A&E Local,' while consultant-led women and children's services move from Telford to Shrewsbury, with the Telford site becoming the centre for planned care.
After years of delays the plans have moved to their furthest stage yet, with SaTH recently working on the outline business case for the £312m plan – to be submitted to the Department of Health.
Once that is approved a full business case must be submitted and only then can work on the plans begin. The trust had hoped to start construction work early next year.
