Council officially opposes ‘downgrading’ of Telford's Princess Royal Hospital

In its response, the council will reiterate its support for option two in the proposal to shake up emergency and planned healthcare in Shropshire.

This option would see Telford's Princess Royal Hospital take responsibility for emergency care and a women's and children's centre, while the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital would have planned care facilities.

A councillor said the Future Fit team, who instead prefer the opposite solution in option one, has 'got it the wrong way round'.

Telford & Wrekin Council's support for option two is based on their argument that it would make more money available for the county's NHS and that planned operations are already best placed in Shrewsbury.

Councillor Arnold England, the council’s cabinet member for health and wellbeing, said: “We have long argued why the preferred option of Future Fit is the worst choice for everybody, not just in Telford and Wrekin, but for Shropshire and Mid Wales too.

“Future Fit’s preferred choice is the more expensive to deliver identical services. Some of the spare money freed up by option two could be spent on, for example, a second cancer day unit so people in east Shropshire wouldn’t have to go so far for chemotherapy.

“Future Fit’s preferred option will have more of an impact on everyone and, in particular, the most vulnerable. Their option will move planned care and consultant-led women and children’s services further away from the very people who need them most. Quite simply, they’ve got it the wrong way round.

Analysis

“This report is our most comprehensive and detailed analysis that has led to our conclusion that option two is the better of the two options; it is better for all.

“This is our formal response. I would encourage everyone to look at it and then take part in the consultation themselves in support of our preferred option, option two.”

The council’s formal response is due to be approved by the cabinet when it meets on Thursday, July 12. It will then be submitted to Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin Clinical Commissioning Groups.

The report will claim: "Option two will give the local NHS at least an extra £3.3 million each year to spend on more GPs and nurses. It will allow the NHS to invest in a second state of the art cancer centre.

"Two thirds of all children and pregnant women admitted to hospital live nearer to the Princess Royal Hospital. Choose option two to keep the new £28 million Women and Children’s Centre where it is.

"More than half of people having planned operations live nearer to the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital. Under option two, that’s where planned care would be based.

"Average emergency travel times are shorter to the Princess Royal Hospital. Under option two, that’s where the Emergency Centre would be based."