25 signatures reached
To: Wes Streeting, Secretary Of State for Health and Social Care
Repair Stepping Hill Hospital Now!
We demand that the government honour their pledge from July this year (2024) to provide the money needed for repairs to Stepping Hill Hospital in Stockport.
Why is this important?
After learning that the bill for repairs to Stepping Hill has risen from £89m in 2021to the current figure of £130m the government has made a U turn and say that it cannot commit to the funding of the repairs at this stage.
We believe that the current state of disrepair of our hospital prevents patients receiving the care they need, makes it difficult for staff to provide high standards of care and will lead to even longer waiting lists.
After declaring that the NHS was broken the Labour government announced that they would fix it.
In July this year, they confirmed that money would be available to repair Stepping Hill Hospital after a catalogue of problems were identified including:
· Buildings being unsafe for Staff and Patients
· Closure and demolition of Outpatients B due to deterioration of the structure of the building. Relocation of departments in the hospital and reduction of outpatient appointments.
· Ceiling collapse in the radiology department (4h March 2024) due to leaks causing the cancellation of appointments.
· Ceiling collapse in critical care unit causing the evacuation of seriously ill patients to operating theatres in the hospital and to another hospital
According to the Guardian Newspaper (17/10/24)’ Stepping Hill Hospital lost 2.918 hours of clinical time (worth approx. £581 000) because of recurring structural issues – the most of any hospital site’
The previous Conservative government promised 40 new hospitals by the 2030s. Stockport Foundation Trust who run the hospital and Stockport Council applied for funding to build a new hospital, but the request was rejected. An extension to emergency care is ongoing, but this is not enough. We need and demand the urgent repairs to our hospital now.
