Telford Princess Royal Hospital A&E could be downgraded

Princess Royal Hospital supporters have feared Telford may lose its A&E

Shropshire could have one emergency and trauma department under recommendations being put forward by NHS bosses.

The A&E unit at Telford's Princess Royal Hospital could be downgraded, leaving the Royal Shrewsbury as the only hospital in the county to offer emergency and critical care.

Women and children's services would also be moved to Shrewsbury, despite a £28m centre opening in Telford in 2014.

The proposals have been made by the NHS 'Future Fit' board.

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Urgent care centres would be based at both sites, which Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust said would attend to the majority of patients who are currently seen at A&E.

These "preferred options" will be considered by Telford and Wrekin Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) and Shropshire CCG, who will formally decide if a public consultation can begin.

The Shropshire Women and Children's Centre opened in Telford in September 2014

The board is also recommending three other options be put forward for public consultation.

No formal decisions will be made until at least Summer 2017, Telford and Wrekin CCG said.

The NHS Future Fit programme was launched in 2014 to review the health system across Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin and mid-Wales and is set to finish in spring 2017.

Where would services be based under the proposals?

Princess Royal Hospital in Telford:

• Urgent Care (24/7)

• The majority of day case surgery

• Planned orthopaedic surgery

• Outpatients

• Diagnostics

• Midwifery led unit

Royal Shrewsbury Hospital:

• Emergency and critical care

• Urgent care (24/7)

• Complex surgery

• Outpatients and diagnostics

• Women and children's centre

There has been criticism of the plans to move women's and children's services from Telford.

Shaun Davies, leader of Telford & Wrekin Council, described the announcement as "a total farce that is being railroaded through" and said he opposed the idea of downgrading Telford's A&E department.

"If there is to be only one, then it makes sense from a financial and clinical perspective to locate it at Princess Royal Hospital; in the area where there is a growing population."