Monthly Archives: November 2017

‘I think is it really important we remember that the best solution is to keep both A&E departments open’.
Simon Wright, Chief Executive of Shrewsbury and Telford Hospitals, September 2017

That’s the second time Simon has said both A&Es should stay – and he’s right! Our two hospitals cover an area 3 times the size of Greater London. One A&E for an area that size is nonsense. Research shows that longer journeys to get to A&E mean more people die.Government cuts mean NHS spending in our area will be slashed by £135m a year. Future Fit is part and parcel of that big cuts plan. That means cuts to hospital care. Telford is set to lose the Women’s and Children’s Centre and urgent care beds, Planned Care will be stripped out of Shrewsbury, there will be 100s fewer doctors, nurses and therapists, and fewer hospital beds.

Community NHS services and social care are being cut too. There’s an onslaught against community hospitals and Minor Injuries Units. Public health funding is being slashed. GPs are already stretched to the limit. Health bosses think we can all take care of ourselves instead! ‘Community resilience’ and ‘self-care’ are the future, they claim.And Future Fit, they quietly admit now, won’t solve the problems recruiting Consultants.

• We need BOTH our A&Es, BOTH our hospitals, and community services that work.

• We need proper funding for the local NHS, instead of one of the lowest levels per person in England. Will our MPs fight for fair funding for our area? They need to!

• We need an NHS that works, not Future Fit cuts and closures.

Can you help us defend our NHS? We need people who can give out leaflets, help organise meetings, write letters to newspapers, write leaflets or posters, and share your ideas on building this campaign.

Email info@shropshiredefendournhs.org

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