Coronavirus: Shrewsbury MP praises retired health workers returning to battle pandemic
A Shropshire MP has spoken of his admiration of retired NHS workers who have returned to their jobs to help with the coronavirus epidemic.
Daniel Kawczynski, MP for Shrewsbury and Atcham, also praised those who had joined the Government's NHS volunteer scheme.
"Thank you to the retired local clinicians across Shropshire getting re-registered to help the NHS and to the thousands of volunteers offering to help this vital service," Mr Kawczynski wrote on Twitter, adding that had been speaking on the telephone to 'some of these outstanding individuals.'
In a letter to his constituents, Mr Kawczynski also said it was time for people to put the divisions over the controversial Future Fit hospital shake-up behind them, saying now was the time for a united front.
Mr Kawczynski wrote: "In the past few years, there has been something of a tug-of-war over the provision of A & E services in the county.
"Important as they are, such issues must take a back seat as we all come together to meet the coronavirus challenge."
Mr Kawczynski said he, along with fellow Shropshire MPs Owen Paterson and Philip Dunne, as well as Councillor Peter Nutting, leader of Shropshire Council, and Councillor Shaun Davies, leader of Telford & Wrekin Council, had held a very productive conference call with representatives of Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital Trust and the local clinical commissioning groups.
He said while the Government had made impressive progress in terms of procuring more ventilators and other equipment, he was concerned about a shortage of protective equipment such as face masks and gloves, as well as testing kits for the virus.
Mr Kawczynski said he and his colleagues would be lobbying Health Secretary Matt Hancock to ensure the county received the equipment it needed.
He added that once the crisis was over, he would be calling on the country to look at expanding its domestic capacity to produce protective equipment, saying that Britain should not be dependent on importing equipment from other countries.
