Bury St Edmunds MP, Dr Peter Prinsley, expects new West Suffolk Hospital project will go ahead despite major NHS reform
Bury St Edmunds’ MP said he believes a new hospital for the west of the county will still be built despite a major review of the National Health Service (NHS).
Dr Peter Prinsley expects the new West Suffolk Hospital project will be ‘among the very first’ in the country to go ahead, after reforms planned for the NHS were announced yesterday.
The Labour MP, who has been an ear, nose and throat surgeon for about 40 years, said he understands the new hospital will be built with individual patient rooms, as originally planned.
The new-build is needed as the current hospital was built in the 1970s and has defects associated with RAAC (reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete).
During Prime Minister's Questions on September 4, Dr Prinsley asked Sir Keir Starmer if he agreed that hospitals affected by structural issues must be prioritised, as the new Government undertakes its review of the new hospital programme.
Responding, Sir Keir said Dr Prinsley brought ‘huge expertise to this area’.
He said: “Hospitals with RAAC, including West Suffolk Hospital, must be a priority so we’re reviewing the programme and the Secretary of State for Health will update Parliament as soon as possible.“
Yesterday announcing a 10-year plan for the NHS, the Prime Minister outlined three areas he wants to reform.
These are transition to a digital health service, moving more care from hospitals to communities, and focussing efforts on prevention rather than sickness.
Labour’s plan for NHS reform follows a nine-week-review by independent peer and NHS surgeon Lord Darzi.
Full details of the new plan are expected to be published in the spring.
In July, the Chancellor Rachel Reeves said there would be a review of the hospital programme as she laid out to the House of Commons a £22 billion black hole in the public finances following an audit ordered by Labour.
When asked specifically about the West Suffolk Hospital plans yesterday, a spokesperson for the Department of Health and Social Care, said: “The previous Government’s commitment to build 40 new hospitals by 2030 is undeliverable and unaffordable and this Government is determined to be honest with people about what can be delivered.
“We must reset the New Hospital Programme to put it on a sustainable footing but no decisions have yet been made on the scale - but the Secretary of State has been clear, hospitals with RAAC are the priority.
“We have launched a full review of the programme to provide a thorough, costed and realistic timeline for delivery and to ensure we can replace the crumbling hospital estate in England.”
Gary Norgate, future system programme director at West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust, said: “The trust has been making great progress with our plans to build a replacement hospital, with archaeological surveys, buffer tree planting and the construction of a temporary access road either complete or very advanced.
“We remain on target to deliver the replacement hospital by the end of 2030 and hope that the review of the national programme does not inadvertently slow the momentum created within local schemes, particularly those replacing aged RAAC estate.”
A significant amount of RAAC is in the roof and walls of the current West Suffolk Hospital building.
Until the new facility at the Hardwick Manor site is built, RAAC safety measures will remain in place in the existing hospital, in Hardwick Lane.
