West Norfolk campaigners holding rally for NHS, today
Blueprints for the new QEH build suggest it will only be able to serve around the same amount of patients as the current crumbling estate
Campaigners in West Norfolk are holding a rally today, urging decision-makers to re-think what the new Queen Elizabeth Hospital will look like.
After the blueprints suggest the rebuild will only be able to serve around the same amount of patients, as the current crumbling estate
"We need bed occupancy of at least 80%"
Jo Rust is councillor for the Springwood ward and from 'Save our QEH':
"We had been told that a new hospital needed to be 38% bigger than the current one. As our population is growing and it's also aging, so our health needs are getting more significant and they need to be met in a local hospital.
"The current bed occupancy is 97% and it has been as high as 100% percent. Well, for patients to have a smooth and easy transition, we need bed occupancy of at least 80%"
"That is seriously concerning"
"Our fight is not over and if it is the case that we are not going to have as many beds, as other hospitals. Then as a campaign group we need to find out what action we can take to change and influence that because as stands I don't see a very positive picture".
"Practically every new hospital built has been built with more beds than the hospital it was replacing. For us, not to have that is seriously concerning".