Fury as Government u-turns on Stepping Hill Repairs
Tom Morrison MP furoius as Government u-turns on Stepping Hill Funding
Tom Morrison, MP for Cheadle has called on the Government to urgently rethink their refusal to fund the essential repair works at Stepping Hill Hospital, which is now facing a maintenance backlog of £134million and 70% of its buildings being in the worst
A letter sent to Tom from Karin Smith MP, Minister of State for Health, stated that “We cannot commit to additional funding at this stage due to constraints on capital availability in the fiscal position.”
Tom Morrison MP said “This is incredibly frustrating news for both staff and patients at Stepping Hill. Our hospital was left to decay under the Conservatives and by refusing the vital funding needed the Labour Government will see larger costs in future, and an increase in waiting lists.
The Government needs to get a plan sorted as soon as possible and get our hospital the money it needs to be repaired and put back in working order.
Local residents will no doubt be bitterly disappointed that the Labour Government have u-turned on Stepping Hill funding since they briefed back in July saying that the funding would be delivered.
The state of Stepping Hill hospital is the biggest issue that comes up on the doorstep with residents across Stockport crying out for urgent action. This response from the government is hugely disappointing. My constituents deserve world class facilities but instead we're left with a crumbling hospital that is, in part, older than the NHS itself. Stepping Hill must get the repairs it needs and plans for a new hospital in the town centre must get support. The government must rethink this poor decision."