North West Norfolk MP, James Wild, has urged the Health Secretary and new government to commit “immediately” to a new QEH by 2030.
In a letter to the Health Secretary, Rt Hon Wes Streeting MP, James highlighted the Prime Minister’s recognition last week that RAAC hospitals were a priority and called on the government to end the uncertainty that has been caused for NHS staff and patients due to the review of the New Hospitals Programme announced by the Labour government.
The review came despite a pledge by the Labour Party to delivering the new hospitals programme including modernising QEH due to the RAAC issues.
Having campaigned for four years for a new QEH and secured a commitment by the last Conservative government, since the election James has repeatedly pressed the Health Secretary to honour Labour’s pledge including by raising the need for a new QEH at the first Health department questions in July.
Commenting on the letter James said:
“Staff, patients, independent building experts, and everyone in West Norfolk knows the QEH must be rebuilt due to its RAAC concrete issues. The clock is ticking and we need to get on with it. So the government should immediately end the uncertainty caused by the review of the new hospital programme and unambiguously commit immediately to a new QEH by 2030.”
Notes to Editors:
Text of letter send 6 September 2024
“Rt Hon Wes Streeting MP
Secretary of State
Department of Health and Social Care
39 Victoria Street
London, SW1H 0EU
Dear Secretary of State
New Hospitals Programme – Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH), King’s Lynn
I am writing further to the Prime Minister’s comments in the House of Commons on Wednesday that hospitals with Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC) are a priority and to ask you to confirm that this government is now committed to a new QEH by 2030.
As I said at Health questions on 23 July, due to the serious RAAC issues King’s Lynn needs a new hospital by 2030 and I urged the government to honour your election commitment “to delivering the new hospitals programme, including modernising the QEH at Kings Lynn to address its potentially dangerous RAAC”.
The government’s announcement of a pause to the new hospitals programme in July has caused damaging uncertainty for NHS patients and staff at QEH. It is therefore welcome that the Prime Minister has now recognised that “hospitals with RAAC…must be a priority”. This echoes your own statement that hospitals with RAAC are at the top of your list of priorities.
Given the necessity to rebuild the RAAC hospitals, I urge you to act and end the uncertainty caused by the review of the new hospital programme and unambiguously commit immediately to a new QEH by 2030.
Your ever
James Wild
MP for North West Norfolk”
