Letter sent to Health Secretary pleading for funding for new King's Lynn hospital
A letter's been sent to Matt Hancock asking for help.
Members of the West Norfolk Partnership Strategy Group have signed a letter addressed to the Health Secretary asking for funding to build a new hospital in King's Lynn.
It urges Matt Hancock to consider funding a new hospital following concerns about the safety of the existing Queen Elizabeth building.
The site is currently being held up by around 200 props in over 40 areas of the hospital.
The letter also details the impact emergency repairs have had on the effective running of the hospital, with the recent closures of the intensive care unit resulting in cancelled operations and delays for elective and day procedures.
It includes details of some of the benefits of having a new hospital, including the cost savings and efficiencies of having upgraded and integrated services, and the benefits of future proofing care for the growing population.
Lorraine Gore, Chief Executive of the Borough Council of King's Lynn & West Norfolk and one of the signatories on the letter, said: "We want to understand why the people of west Norfolk are being left behind.
"They deserve the improved clinical outcomes that can be delivered in 21st-century facilities.
"King's Lynn was not on the original list of 40 hospitals included in the 2020 spending review. We implore the Government to make sure that King's Lynn is on the list for funding that is likely to be announced this autumn.
"A modern, efficient hospital for west Norfolk is vital and should, or rather, must be prioritised for this funding."
David Pomfret, CWA Principal, said: “We urge the government to invest in our local healthcare provision to provide a safe and modern hospital facility for West Norfolk and the surrounding areas.
"The pre-existing problems the hospital faces have been compounded by the impact of the pandemic, which has further stressed the severity of the situation and the need to invest appropriately in our local healthcare provision.
"We have a strong partnership with the QEH and other stakeholders in West Norfolk, with a new School of Nursing Studies set to take on the first cohort of QEH staff in early 2022.
"The School of Nursing Studies will create a wealth of local career and skills development opportunities for QEH staff members and West Norfolk, and provide modern, state-of-the-art training facilities for our apprentices.
"This project, combined with a successful bid for a new local hospital, would mean the very best of talent can stay local, improve the stability and quality of the QEH workforce and support the West Norfolk economy, as well as the wellbeing of communities in the local area."
The West Norfolk Partnership is a strategic Alliance of public sector and other providers in west Norfolk working together to improve the lives of our residents, support business and increase tourism.