People in Newport are being urged to come forward with their views regarding the on-going proposals to shake up the county’s health services.
The leader of Telford & Wrekin Council, Councillor Andrew Eade said it is vital Newport residents air their views as Telford & Wrekin Council seeks to gauge public opinion.
Under proposals currently out for consultation, women and children’s services would be concentrated at Telford’s Princess Royal Hospital, with acute inpatient abdominal surgery consolidated at the Royal Shrewsbury. The Shrewsbury site would also see the creation of a vascular surgical centre.
Councillor Andrew Eade urged Newport residents to speak out.
He said: “This is not a Telford issue or a Shrewsbury issue, it is a Shropshire issue. I know that what we are looking at is not ideal but we have two hospitals that will have to operate as one hospital on two sites.
“If we don’t back these proposals, we will lose services which will go outside the county – meaning people will have to travel further.
Councillor Eade said he wanted to ensure that future accident and emergency provision on both the Princess Royal and Royal Shrewsbury Hospital sites would be safe.
Telford & Wrekin Council’s political groups are together urging people who use the hospitals to take part in the consultation and to fully understand what is at stake.
On Wednesday some of Shropshire’s most senior doctors warned of “dire consequences” if changes are not made.
A statement said: ““If decisions are not taken quickly to resolve the long standing problems that exist in our hospitals, we believe that there will be dire consequences for all health care services in Shropshire.
“The maternity building at Royal Shrewsbury Hospital is in a very poor state and at risk of significant failure which puts the future of safe and effective paediatric maternity and neonatal services at risk.
“We are very close to securing significant improvements and developments in some services and will lose these if we are not able to centralise emergency and inpatient surgical care.
“The reconfiguration proposals will offer significant improvements in the quality of care for many patients.”
Speaking exclusively to the Advertiser, Wrekin MP Mark Pritchard agreed with the senior clinicians.
He said: “It is absolutely clear that overwhelming medical and clinical opinion, made by the professionals, is in support of keeping paediatrics at Telford and moving specialist maternity care to Telford.
“The other important issue is that any emergency services are kept in Telford.
“People need to listen to professional opinion which finds in favour of expanding the PRH site. This makes sense given the growing population of Telford & Wrekin.
Newport residents can give their views at www.ournhsinshropshireandtelford.nhs.uk and need to do so by Monday, March 14.
By Joseph Masi