This time last year, the Council was at the heart of the successful SOS PRH community campaign which fought any downgrading or removal of services at Telford’s Princess Hospital (PRH).

The NHS has now published its proposals for reorganising hospital services at the area’s two acute hospitals – the PRH and the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital.

A public consultation on proposals will start next month, if these are backed by the area’s two PCT Boards at meetings later this week.

Among the key proposals are:

• Full A&E cover at both PRH and RSH

• The creation of a women and children’s centre at PRH. This would house the inpatient paediatric service and the high risk obstetric service

• Head and Neck services would also relocate to PRH – this is because a high volume of ENT cases are procedures for children

• The centralisation of acute inpatient abdominal surgery at RSH – patients who need access to emergency surgery at PRH would be provided for through a senior non-resident on call team of experienced surgeons. Other acute surgery will be transferred to RSH or dealt with through urgent outpatient and day case on the PRH site.

• A low risk midwifery service on the RSH site along with a paediatric assessment unit.

• Trauma services would remain unchanged.

• Medical patients would as now access services on both sites.

• Out patient services and day cases would be unchanged

Council leader Andrew Eade said; “Last year this Council fought tooth and nail to keep A&E services at both Shropshire hospitals.

“I believe what is proposed by the PCTs not only does this but fairly and equitably divides other services between both sites in way that will help ensure key services are maintained for all parts of the population of the area.

”I give a guarded welcome to these proposals which after 20 years of constant battling on this issue present a positive way through the current difficulties.

“Although these proposals are a compromise, we are now facing a completely different options than those we faced and so successfully fought last year.

“These proposals say yes to acceptable service provision across both Shropshire hospitals.

“If adopted, I urge everyone in Shropshire to get involved and give their views on these proposals as part of the consultation.”

Views of the Council have been sought prior to the consultation being published and Cllr Eade said the Council would reconvene a cross party group to ensure the Council’s views are reflected in any ongoing issues around the proposals while the Council would give its formal response to these in due course.