Shropshire councillors set to question health bosses

Councillors are set to question health bosses about urgent and emergency care services in Shropshire.

Councillors from Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin Council authorities met for a joint health overview and scrutiny committee last month.

They received an update on urgent and emergency care provision in Shropshire and the health authority’s preparedness for winter pressures.

However, co-chair of the meeting Ollie Vickers said that councillors were left ‘disappointed’ after a representative of the Shropshire, Telford and

Wrekin integrated care system had to leave the meeting after 45 minutes without councillors having time to ask questions about urgent and emergency care.

“That’s what members spent previous weeks preparing for,” said councillor Vickers.

He said that an extra public meeting of the joint health overview and scrutiny committee is being planned for April 8 in the council’s chamber in Southwater One.

Speaking at a meeting last week councillor Vickers said that it was an opportunity to speak to Betty Lodge, director of urgent and emergency care, along with a representative from the West Midlands Ambulance Service.

Councillor Vickers said that councillors are preparing more ‘in depth questions’ to understand ‘what is going on in the health system’.