MORE than 98 per cent of people surveyed in Whitchurch and Wem have called for both county hospitals to maintain their current Accident and Emergency departments, according to the Shropshire Green Party.

The survey, carried out by the party's 'Healthy Greens' group, survey people across 11 towns in Shropshire and Telford, including Wem and in Whitchurch, with an average of 96.3 per cent across all answering yes to 'Should both Shrewsbury A&E and Telford A&E remain fully functioning A&Es ?'.

In Whitchurch, 98.7 per cent of respondents said yes while it was 98.8 per cent in Wem who wanted A&Es to remain at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital (RSH) and Princess Royal Hospital (PRH).

Julia Evans, a former nurse and Shropshire councillor for Radbrook, said people who were asked though it was 'given' that the A&Es should remain.

She said: "We just went and asked people, out and about, in 11 Shropshire and Telford area towns.

"People even asked us why on Earth we were bothering to ask such a question.

"Telford has a growing population of more than 186,00 people while Shrewsbury has about 77,000.

"Both principal towns have dispersed and dependent communities in market towns, villages, hamlets or even more remote populations and must get to their nearest A&E when their condition is critical."

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Senior nurse Clare Nash, co-leader of 'Healthy Greens' added: "Chairman Sir Ian McKay, chief executive Simon Whitehouse and board members of Shropshire Telford and Wrekin NHS must recognise and respond to the consistent and strong message from people across Shropshire who demand both RSH and PRH keep fully functioning A&Es.

"The lives and optimal recovery of critically ill or injured patients will be at serious risk if they are forced to travel to the West side of Shrewsbury to the only A&E in the plans for the whole of Shropshire.

"As we were told by many people during our surveys – in an emergency every second counts."

Pat McCarthy, from 'Healthy Greens' said: "Both A&Es have not met the national target to 'treat, transfer or discharge' 95 per cent of attendees within four hours for years.

"Mainly because, as now widely recognised, not enough clinical staff, not enough free beds because of not enough available social care provision for safe discharge for recovering patients.

"So how only one A&E in Shrewsbury will deliver the real emergency care whenever we need it is worryingly uncertain."