Future Fit: Shrewsbury MP's delay accusations are disingenuous, says Telford & Wrekin Council

Speaking in Parliament, Shrewsbury and Atcham's Conservative MP Daniel Kawczynski accused the borough council, which he called "Telford Council", of being "medically illiterate" and said it had prevented Future Fit for six years.

Mr Kawczynski is a backer of the scheme that will see Telford's provision reduced to an 'A&E Local', with the county's main emergency care centre in Shrewsbury.

At Prime Minister's Questions on Wednesday he asked Boris Johnson to help "break the deadlock" and make sure the plan goes ahead.

More coverage:

• Boris Johnson: 'We will see that Future Fit is done' - video

• Future Fit: MPs split at meeting with Shropshire hospital chiefs

• Future Fit: Telford council urges Shropshire Council and MPs to join fight for rethink

The council hit back at his claims, saying they were incorrect and that "each step of the way" the council has sought "the best deal for Shropshire as a whole".

In a statement, the authority said: "Future Fit has been a six-year process designed by the NHS.

Disappointing

"The only intervention the council has made through this process has been its referral to the Secretary of State for Health in March 2019.

"This was in line with the deadlines set by Government for making comments as part of the process and did not delay the process; and to reiterate, any deadlines for making comments set by the health sector throughout the entire process have been complied with by this council.

"The fact that the Secretary of State for Health in October 2019 chose to make alterations to Future Fit plans following this referral shows it was fully justified.

"Every decision that has delayed the process has been made by the NHS, not the council."

It said that the Future Fit process had been delayed in December 2016 when Shropshire's Clinical Commissioning Groups requested an independent review.

The statement continued: "For Mr Kawczynski to continually accuse this council of delay is disappointing and disingenuous.

"Instead we urge Mr Kawczynski to work together with us and the borough’s MPs to help find a solution to the overspend that now threatens Future Fit and to deliver the best health care services across Shropshire and Telford and Wrekin."