The Powys Teaching Health Board has been urged to make a clear policy on the future of health services in Shropshire that will impact on Montgomeryshire residents.
Montgomeryshire MP, Glyn Davies, has called on the health board to take a stance on its preferred options based on the public consultation taking place on health services which includes moving Accident and Emergency and other services further away from the Welsh border.
Mr Davies has described the reforms, as part of the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust’s ‘Future Fit’ programme as the most important issue facing Montgomeryshire during the current Parliament.
He has urged PTHB to make clear its position on the potential restructuring of health services within Shropshire, in order to influence reforms on behalf of patients in Powys before any final decisions are made.
He said: “It may seem that we have been discussing NHS reform for always, and advances in technology do mean that reform is never finished. But at present we are facing the most fundamental reform for decades - taking place under the meaningless banner 'Future Fit'.
“The main reason for reform is that the current structure of two major hospitals at Shrewsbury and Telford providing A&E and planned surgery/treatment to Shropshire and Mid Wales is no longer viable or affordable.
“Big decisions can be put off no longer. Any further significant delay will create a situation where some sort of catastrophe becomes inevitable.
“The timetable is now set. The group of clinicians/managers overseeing reform will announce their preferred new Shropshire NHS reform in early autumn.
“It's likely to concentrate A&E at either Shrewsbury or Telford, with surgery and elective care located at the other. At present the focus of public attention in Montgomeryshire is on where A&E is located - opinion being almost wholly favouring location at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital.
“Like many others, I had favoured a brand new 'green field' site somewhere off the Shrewsbury bypass.
“This option would have been well located for the whole of Mid Wales and Shropshire. However, I sense that this may well turn out to be financially unviable. In the end, it's likely to come down to a choice between the Royal Shrewsbury and the Princess Royal.
“Also disappointing to me is the relative absence of a clear public opinion on this hugely important issue from the Powys Teaching Health Board.
He added: “It's no good complaining after the September announcement. The horse will have bolted, and be difficult to haul back.
“The time to try to influence things is now, before the decisions are made. I do hope the Welsh Government are not pulling the Powys THB strings.
“It's crucial that this NHS reform goes ahead with transparency.
“There is a widespread and growing view that the Welsh Government intends to pressurise more Montgomeryshire patients to go to Bronglais in Aberystwyth - in particular from the largest population centre in Newtown. If this is the case it should be made clear to the people of Newtown. We are facing such important decisions that every opinion should be considered.”
