Future Fit: Crisis meeting called to demand new A&E centre between Telford and Shrewsbury
A crisis meeting is to be called in which a council leader will demand a brand new accident and emergency centre for Shropshire, between Telford and Shrewsbury.
Telford's Conservative leader Andrew Eade has called for an extraordinary meeting of Telford & Wrekin council in a bid to secure support for a new specialist emergency care centre in Shropshire.
His suggestion followed a fact-finding visit to a similar specialist centre in Cramlington, Northumberland.
After Councillor Eade wrote to health bosses, Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin clinical commissioning groups said they will still consider new ideas and suggestions during the Future Fit public consultation process.
Councillor Eade is calling for the building of a specialist emergency care centre to be put forward as an option in the consultation, which will shape the future of healthcare services in the county.
Read more on the Future Fit saga
He says the current proposals will be a "step backwards" and believes residents should be provided with wider options.
Councillor Eade wants to put forward a motion at an extraordinary meeting of Telford & Wrekin Council.
If allowed, he will ask councillors to urge health bosses to include an alternative option in the Future Fit consultation based on the model in Northumberland.
The motion adds: "This will include the provision of a new emergency core unit located between Telford and Shrewsbury, community hospitals, plus the retention of the Princess Royal Hospital and Shrewsbury Royal Hospital to provide planned surgery and specialisms."
The motion would be seconded by Councillor Nigel Dugmore.
£300 million
The CCG's preferred option for Shropshire involves a single A&E unit at Royal Shrewsbury Hospital, while planned services would be centred at Telford’s Princess Royal Hospital.
It also involves moving the consultant-led women and children’s unit to Shrewsbury, although Telford would retain a midwife-led unit.
Walk-in urgent care centres would be set up at both RSH and PRH.
The reorganisation is expected to cost in the region of £300 million.
But Councillor Eade believes the option he wants to put forward will save millions of pounds and provide better outcomes for patients.
After closing three existing A&E departments in Hexham, North Tyneside and Wansbeck, the Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust built a specialist emergency care centre for £100 million in 2005, located in the middle of three existing general hospitals.
The general hospitals were also retained and now provide planned surgery and care, while the new centre provides services for trauma, acute medicine, cardiology, strokes, coronary care, maternity and general surgery, along with a special care baby unit.
NHS England is yet to give the go-ahead for the Future Fit public consultation to begin.
