‘Children’s lives are in danger’

Our children’s lives and those of our unborn will be put at risk if cost-cutting plans to remove all Women and Children’s Medical Services from Shrewsbury to Telford get the green light.

 

The stark message was delivered by Consultants at a rousing public meeting held at Shrewsbury Town Football Club over the weekend which drew considerable support from worried residents from the Welshpool area.

 

Hundreds carried placards and chanted in defence of the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital (RSH) which also provides Mid Wales with life saving services. A majority of local children are now born across the border but would be expected to travel to Telford if plans go ahead.

 

But the collective voice of the professionals was finally heard at the public meeting with claims that a ‘vast majority’ of the paediatricians and neonatologists are against the switch.

 

Dr Wendy Taylor, consultant neonatologist at RSH, who leads on resuscitation and life support of new-borns, said that switching services further up the road was putting children’s lives at risk.

 

“I have grave concerns that these risks will be there at the end of this consultation period and would not be honest if I did not make these known,” she said.

 

Dr Richard Brough, consultant paediatrician, and Alison Moore, consultant neonatologist, claimed that the views of paediatricians were not being passed on. Dr Brough also said the proposal presented “significant clinical risks”.

 

But Adam Cairns, Chief Executive of the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust, defended the proposals by claiming that “there is a risk to services unless something urgent is done”.

 

Public meetings are approaching in Llanidloes, Newtown and Welshpool and local mother, Helen Jervis, has started an online petition which has already gained the support of nearly 4,000 signatures. She was at the meeting and said it was “a fantastic turn-out”.