LOCAL MP SPEAKS OUT FOR SHREWSBURY A&E (Montgomeryshire Liberal Democrats)

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Montgomeryshire Liberal Democrats <montlibdems@gmail.com>

LOCAL MP SPEAKS OUT FOR SHREWSBURY A&E

November 26, 2009 11:07 AM

During Health Questions earlier this week, Lembit Öpik, Liberal Democrat MP for Montgomeryshire, questioned the Minister for Public Health over the lack of mechanisms for local representatives to express concern over reconfiguration of Hospital services.

Shropshire and Telford NHS Trust is currently consulting on proposals to restructure services available at the Princess Royal Hospital (PRH) in Telford and the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital (RSH), in the short, medium and long term.

It has now been decided that RSH will retain its Accident and Emergency Department which is welcome news for Montgomeryshire residents who rely on the service in Shrewsbury.

However, consultation will begin in 2010 on moving certain emergency services from the RSH. Commenting on the proposals, Lembit said:

"I am relieved that A and E services will remain in Shrewsbury but I, and other MPs, have found it extremely difficult to express their concerns to the PCT on behalf of constituents who were facing the loss of this vital service."

Speaking in the House of Commons, Lembit said:

"The hon. Member for Shrewsbury and Atcham and I have worked as locally elected representatives on his energetic campaign to prevent the movement of the accident and emergency unit from Shrewsbury hospital.

"We have now received assurances from the authorities at the hospital that the service will not be moved, but I do not understand what formal mechanism we would have under the current arrangements to object, especially bearing in mind that this is a cross-party issue. How would the Minister advise us to ensure that our constituents' concerns about any such move are formally registered, given the system that he has been outlining?"

The Minister responded:

"I would hope that he, his constituents and other local bodies would make their representations in the normal way, but be guided by the clinicians, who I think probably know what is best for patients in their area."

Lembit will continue to campaign for better consultation on cross-border health services and make sure that the best outcome is achieved on this issue for his constituents.

Ends/diwedd

Notes:

For a full account of the debate, please visit

http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200910/cmhansrd/cm091124/debtext/91124-0002.htm#09112436000019

To access updates on the consultation, please visit:

http://www.sath.nhs.uk/ournhs/