At the Department of Health and Social Care questions in the House of Commons today, James Wild MP urged ministers to seriously consider the urgent and compelling need for a new hospital at QEH.
James said that spending hundreds of millions of pounds patching up QEH which has 200 safety props currently did not represent value for money and a new fit for purpose hospital is needed for patients, staff, and visitors.
e highlighted the thousands of people who have already signed a new Love West Norfolk petition in support of a new hospital in King’s Lynn. The petition has attracted nearly 4,000 signatures since it was launched last Thursday.
In response, the Health Minister Edward Argar recognised the seriousness of the situation at QEH as reflected in the £20.6 million new capital funding provided this year for the most immediate issues. He acknowledged the challenges QEH faces and he announced that safety would be one of the considerations used to select the further eight new hospital schemes the government committed to in the spending review.