Thousands sign up to show support for Telford hospital

The campaign, was launched in March 2016 to keep people informed about how Future Fit could affect them.

It allows people to share their stories and show others just how vital this local hospital is.

Council leader Shaun Davies said: "I don’t believe we’ve ever had so much support on any campaign of this kind across Telford and Wrekin.

"PRH4Me is about to reach another milestone and I would urge anyone who hasn’t pledged their support to add their names and leave health bosses in no doubt about the strength of feeling about their local hospital.”

The Future Fit decision making process about the long term future of hospital services in Telford and Wrekin and Shropshire is currently on hold.

Telford & Wrekin Council had raised serious concerns about the processes followed that led to an earlier recommendation for the closure of the Princess Royal Hospital’s A&E department and recently-opened £28m Women and Children’s Centre and siting them in Shrewsbury.

More recently, the Trust running Princess Royal and Royal Shrewsbury Hospitals began considering an overnight closure of Telford’s A&E due to a shortage of staff.

Councillor Richard Overton, deputy leader of Telford & Wrekin Council said: “Residents are telling us day in and day out that they want the council to fight this with everything the administration can muster.

“We are holding a march and rally on Sunday April 23 and holding emergency meetings over the disarray in the NHS in Shropshire.

“The threat is now greater than ever and I am urging people to help us reach 30,000 pledges to our PRH4Me campaign.”

Councillor Davies added: “Many people have shared their stories of their experiences at the Princess Royal Hospital. I recently shared mine, having just become a father to a baby boy born at the hospital.

“I have again written to the Health Secretary urging him to intervene to ensure these hospital services are staffed and maintained while their long-term future is decided in a way that it fair, legal and transparent.

“We will soon deliver these pledges, stories and the very loud and clear message from people here at the highest level and I urge you, if you haven’t already, to add your voices.”