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Hospital Services (Shropshire)

I concur with my hon. Friend and with the point that he makes in his usual eloquent way. I have been told by the chief executive, and others, that if we do not go for the proposals, we will potentially put our foundation trust status at risk. If we put that at risk, there is the possibility of losing services—and the management of those services—out of the county. Again, I speak without medical experience, but I do not understand how we could enter into a consultation process but be told that if we do not go for the proposals, services will be lost from Shropshire. I cannot envisage a time when we have no maternity or paediatric services in the whole of Shropshire. That is unthinkable to me, so I do not understand the logic of the trust. It is saying, ““Take it or leave it, but if you leave it, that's it. We won't get our foundation trust status and you'll lose your services.”” That position needs to be clarified because many people see it as a gun being pointed at their heads and are therefore frightened to challenge the proposals.