Green Party campaigners are calling on local people to organise their own meetings to discuss the ‘Future Fit’ proposals for Shropshire’s hospitals, in an ambitious programme to reach as many communities as possible during the consultation period.

The future of Shropshire’s district general hospitals in Shrewsbury and Telford, and of smaller hospitals, clinics and other NHS services, is to be put to public consultation in May under the proposals called ‘Future Fit’. Local Green Party councillors and campaigners, working with Shropshire Defend Our NHS, are asking members of the public to set up local meetings, however small these might be, to ensure everyone gets the facts about the situation before the official consultation ends.

Green Party councillor Julian Dean said: ‘We want to make sure that people can clearly discuss and understand the issues without the spin that our Health Trust leadership and MPs are putting on the proposals. Local meetings in community centres, front rooms, sports clubs, WIs, trade unions or any community group will help true local engagement in the consultation. We and the Shropshire Defend Our NHS team can provide speakers and materials to explain the full range of issues at stake, issues which we believe are being glossed over in the official Future Fit consultation process.’

People interested in organising a local meeting, or wanting to request a speaker, materials or information, are asked to contact Shropshire Defend Our NHS at info@shropshiredefendournhs.org or 07900 411769, with information on their website www.shropshiredefendournhs.org. councillor Julian Dean at juliandean251@gmail.com or 07939 121607, and Green Party campaigner Julia Farrington at julia.l.evans@btinternet.com.