Health service future in jeopardy: MP

Glyn Davies, Conservative MP for Montgomeryshire (right), has expressed his growing concern about access to health care for Montgomeryshire patients in Shropshire hospitals over the next few years.

Commenting after discussing developments in the development of NHS services in Shrewsbury and Telford with Shropshire health care bosses, Mr. Davies said he accepts the current care delivery arrangements cannot continue, and are neither clinically safe nor viable,  but he believes it is crucial that any reconfiguration of services takes account of the dependence of Montgomeryshire patients on Shropshire hospitals.

He is a long standing critic of the Welsh Assembly Government’s public policy of wanting ‘Welsh patients to be treated in Wales’ as damaging to the interests of Montgomeryshire.

Mr. Davies said: “For many decades, the people of Montgomeryshire have looked to the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital for care in the event of serious illness and accidents. We must make our voices heard if we want this access to continue. There is no doubt in my mind that we are in danger of 'losing' Shrewsbury services to Telford, and of the Powys LHB of reacting to this change by sending patients to Wrexham instead.

“I fully accept that there must be consolidation in Shropshire Hospitals if a clinically safe treatment and care service is to be retained. It is no longer possible to have all services delivered at both Shrewsbury and Telford. However, I will do everything within my power to retain trauma A & E at Shrewsbury, but the people of Montgomeryshire will have to join in with me. I fear that we may lose children’s services to Telford as a ‘compensation’.”

Mr. Davies confirmed that a public meeting would be arranged in Welshpool in the future and encouraged local people to turn out in force. Public demonstrations have been held in the past but have had little impact on the decision makers to date.

“If we are to retain services at Shrewsbury we are going to have to come out and demand it,” he said.