No more neurological patients from Montgomeryshire will be able to receive treatment in Shropshire, instead having to travel to Wolverhampton.
The Shropshire and Telford Hospitals NHS Trust has announced it is suspending services for all new neurological patients from the area and in Shropshire with immediate effect.
Montgomeryshire MP, Glyn Davies, has expressed his disappointment.
SATH have announced that services for new patients will for the time being be provided by The Royal Wolverhampton Trust. The situation will be reviewed in several months.
Mr Davies, who has a longstanding involvement with both Parkinson's Disease and Motor Neurone Disease branches in Montgomeryshire, said: "While I'm deeply disappointed by the decision by the Shrewsbury and Telford NHS Trust and Shropshire based CCGs to suspend neurological services to new patients with immediate effect, I realise it's inevitable and the only realistic way forward.
“It's good that services will continue to be accessible at Wolverhampton, but it's a very long way from Mid Wales.
"For a long time I have been predicting the migration of services away from Shropshire in the absence of reform of the hospital structure. The failure to agree reform a few months ago was a disaster for local services. The reality is that it's proving impossible to attract consultants to come to work in Shropshire. It's the people of Shropshire and Mid Wales who are paying the price.
"The population of Shropshire and Mid Wales justified about 6 neurological consultants to provide acceptable cover. At present there just 2 Consultants and one locum. It's just not sustainable. We are being told this is a temporary step, to be reviewed in a few months’ time. I certainly hope so. But as of today the people of Mid Wales and Shropshire will be receiving a more remote service than they deserve."
Photo: Glyn Davies MP who has expressed disappointment at neurological services being moved to Wolverhampton temporarily
