Downgrading A&E would cost lives

Wrekin MP, Mark Pritchard, has said he will prove with “empirical evidence” that moves to downgrade accident and emergency services at the Princess Royal Hospital in Telford will end in lives being lost “unnecessarily”.

The MP said that he has found evidence following a study published by the Emergency Medical Journal that proves for every 10km further people have to travel to A&E there is a 1% increase in death/mortality. *(Emergency Medical Journal 2007;24:665-668).

Mr Pritchard said:
“This independent evidence suggests that downgrading Telford Accident & Emergency would definitely cost lives”.

The MP is to present the evidence to Health Secretary, Andy Burnham MP.

The MP added that up to fifty people a day had been visiting the SaveThePRH.com website – a community campaign website established to fight the cutbacks.