HEALTH chiefs have hit back at more strong criticism of a controversial hospital shake-up.

Oswestry Town Council objected to proposals outlined in the Future Fit consultation, which would split A&E and planned care centres between two hospitals.

Mayor of Oswestry, Councillor Sandy Best, described the consultation as "incompetence personified" while Cllr Mike Coppock feared that having a single A&E for one of England's largest counties would put lives at risk.

But Dr Simon Freeman, accountable officer at NHS Shropshire Clinical Commissioning Group, said:

“NHS Future Fit is about improving the hospital services provided at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital in Shrewsbury and the Princess Royal Hospital in Telford so that patients receive safer, high quality care.

“Staying as we are is not an option. We have to change the way we deliver the services at our two hospitals to make sure we provide high quality, safe services for all patients for the long term.

By creating a separate emergency care site with a dedicated emergency department and a 24-hour urgent care Centre at both hospital sites, patients would be safely and quickly seen in the right place at the right time by the right doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals.”

“There’s now just a few days left for you to tell us your views on the impact that either option would have on you and your family and share your thoughts and ideas.

"I would urge people to have their say before the consultation closes at midnight on Tuesday, September 11 so we can take into consideration all views before making a decision.”

During the meeting, Cllr Schofield called for an urgent care centre to be located in Oswestry.

The Future Fit consultation is about the services delivered at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital and the Princess Royal Hospital and therefore is not asking for people’s views about community hospitals, community midwife-led units or community services.

"Our proposal is for one hospital to become an Emergency Care site and the other hospital to become a Planned Care site, with a 24-hour urgent care centre at both hospitals. Outside of this consultation, there are no plans to have an urgent care centre in Oswestry.

"As part of the wider Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin Sustainability and Transformation Partnership (STP), we are working with patients, carers, members of the public and the voluntary sector to look at ways in which we can improve our local health services. This includes making it easier for people to see a GP, speeding up cancer diagnoses and treating people closer to home.

"There’s now just a few days left for you to tell us your views on the impact that either option would have on you and your family and share your thoughts and ideas.

"I would urge people to have their say before the consultation closes at midnight on Tuesday 11 September so we can take into consideration all views before making a decision."

For more information, visit www.nhsfuturefit.org/key-documents/about-the-future-fit-programme