A Mid Wales Assembly Member has said that changes to NHS services in Shropshire need to be right for the people of Mid Wales.
The comments from Montgomeryshire's Assembly Member, Russell George, follow the announcement from the NHS Future Fit programme board that they will defer a decision on naming a preferred site for an Emergency centre and other health services.
The NHS Future Fit Board, the group which has been tasked with assessing a range of scenarios for changing emergency, planned and urgent care within Shropshire and Mid Wales, has decided that more detailed work ought to be carried out into financial and staffing challenges before a preferred option is put out to consultation on the future of NHS services in the area.
Commenting on the decision, the Assembly Member for Montgomeryshire, Russell George AM, said:
"Changes to our health services are needed, but they must be the right changes for the people of Mid Wales. I therefore welcome the news that a more detailed assessment will be carried out before any preferred option is presented.
"A full business case for all options should be carried out and it seems that this will now be done. We had expected a full public consultation to take place this winter, but it now seems that this will take place next Summer.
"Reform is needed, but we need to retain and bring more health services which can be delivered locally, closer to us in Mid Wales.
"Changes in Shropshire may lead to improved healthcare services in some cases but any reconfiguration still provides a degree of uncertainty so it is important that detailed consideration is given to all options to ensure that services are changed in a way which delivers the best possible outcome for those of us in Montgomeryshire who rely on services from across the border.
"Communities and those interested in securing the best deal for Mid Wales need to unite so I will be meeting a number of Montgomeryshire GPs and other health professionals later this month to discuss healthcare provision further.
"I have also recently conducted my own health survey, and I hope that the results will help to strengthen the position for Mid Wales residents when I present my findings. I’ve had an outstanding response so far with over 2000 people returning their views, which shows just how important this issue is to the people of Montgomeryshire."
The survey can still be completed at www.russellgeorge.com/health