Telford MPs criticise 'reckless' plan to shut A&E

Proposals to temporarily close an accident and emergency unit overnight will be discussed by a hospital trust.

Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust (SaTH) Board will decide on Thursday whether to suspend overnight A&E services at Princess Royal Hospital (PRH) in Telford.

The trust said the closure was to protect patient safety due to a lack of A&E doctors.

MPs have labelled the proposals "reckless" and "deeply flawed".

It comes after the Care Quality Commission took urgent enforcement action when an inspection highlighted safety fears.

The trust was already under investigation over allegations of dozens of avoidable deaths and injuries in its maternity unit.

If approved, the A&E suspension would operate from October or November between 20:00 and 08:00.

Ambulances for the PRH would be diverted to neighbouring trusts.

The trust said it is in response to shortages in specialist staff affecting the trust's two A&E departments in Telford and Royal Shrewsbury Hospital.

Currently the departments across both sites are 10 consultants and 21 middle grade doctors short. There are also concerns over the number of available nurses.

SaTH chief executive Simon Wright, said: "We are doing it for patient safety. We haven't arrived at this position lightly."

Conservative MP for Telford Lucy Allan urged the trust to reject the plans and said she would fight the "dangerous" proposal.

Her fellow Conservative Mark Pritchard, MP for The Wrekin, called on councillors to help stop the "deeply flawed" decision.

"With a rising demand for A&E services, this is a reckless decision," he said.

The SaTH board will make a decision on the proposals on Thursday.