New hospital must be accessible for all

MP Helen Jones

ANY plans to re-locate Warrington Hospital must involve a site accessible for people from all over the borough.
This was made clear by Warrington North MP Helen Jones after a meeting with Mel Pickup, chief executive of Warrington and Halton Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.
The meeting was arranged after reports that a site in the south of the borough might be considered for a new hospital to replace the aging facility in Lovely Lane.
Ms Jones said: “It was a productive meeting and we both agree that the current buildings are outdated.
“However, I made it clear that any future plans for a new hospital must be on a site that is accessible for all the people of Warrington.”
The MP was accompanied by Orford councillor Morgan Tarr, and together they pointed out that the wards with the lowest levels of car ownership were in the north of the borough.
Ms Jones added: “We also made clear that future proposals must tackle the health inequalities in the town, not reinforce them. Siting a new hospital south of the ship canal would not only hugely disadvantage wards like Orford and Poplars and Hulme but would be very difficult for those living in areas like Culcheth, Glazebury and Croft, Birchwood and Burtonwood and Winwick to access.
“These proposals will not become a reality until far in the future but it is my view that consultation needs to be held before, not after, a site is chosen and that I, together with councillors in the north of the town, along with those in areas like Penketh, will not allow the needs of the people we represent to be ignored.”
Cllr Matt Smith, from Culcheth, Glazebury and Croft, added: “It is vital that our hospital is retained at a location which is accessible for
everyone in the town. People in Culcheth, Glazebury and Croft, along with other communities in East Warrington, would be at a real disadvantage if services were re-located to the far south of the borough. Those without cars, or elderly residents who rely on public transport, would simply not be able to get there without significant cost or almost double the current journey time.
“Elderly in-patients are often reliant on elderly visitors, for the lift in well-being that visitors bring and also practical support such as bringing in clean clothes. This is already a struggle for elderly and infirm visitors from outlying areas such as Glazebury.
“That is why local councillors here would very strongly resist any attempt to relocate Warrington Hospital to a site south of the ship canal.”

Billy Wires on 22nd March 2017 8:51 am 8:51 am

At last – an update! With evidence seemingly of Helen meeting the NHS CEO! And evidence that maybe she is finally starting to reflect on the criticisms of her. (One being that she’s all talk but no action). If true then it’s long overdue. But welcomed all the same. According to Helen it was a ‘productive’ meeting which seems fairly positive, and so I’m guessing that she was not in ‘press-release’ mode, i.e., ranting and ‘slamming’ Mel Pickup or screeching epitaphs at her like ‘we won’t stand for this’. Far from it. It seems to have been more of a grownups meeting, but of course we still only have details about it from one side. I’d think we’d also benefit for an update on this story to clarify whether future meetings have been diarised in or not? Regular hook-ups would definitely be a step in the right direction for Helen.

Moving on though I was curious as to why Cllr Morgan Tarr attended with Helen? The hospital itself is not situated in his ward that he represents so why pray tell was he invited? And then I realised of course, that Morgan Tarr is a full time employee of Helen’s. So was he there to simply carry her bags and in return she’d happily drop his name into this press release, thus giving him a bit more exposure? Who can say? Cllr Matt Smith who also gets a mention, represents the ward in which Helen lives. So no surprise there. But why do the other two Culcheth Labour councillors fail to get a mention? That should be ringing alarm bells for them and they need to be asking questions from Chris Vobe who undoubtedly cobbled this together. I can only imagine that they are currently out of favour with the first family of Labour Warrington North.

By giving name checks to Morgan Tarr and Matt Smith, a cynic might argue that she was trying to demonstrate that she has a good relationship with local councillors. By including, one who works for her and another who represents the area in which she lives is hardly testimony to this though and looks a bit clumsy. Why did she not do the courteous thing and invite Labour councillors do from the ward in which the hospital is situated? That would be logical. But of course that would involve inviting Labour councillors from the other part of the town and that would simply not do. Not in Helen’s world. So far from this being an example of Helen stirring from her divisive slumber, she has in fact used this meeting as an excuse to simply point score, and attempt to turn this into a Labour Warrington North V labour Warrington South battle. All with the aim of securing support in the North and protecting her lofty position. Yet another step forward but two steps back. Helen has firmly returned to her comfort cave.

1 Comment

Billy Wires on 22nd March 2017 8:51 am 8:51 am

At last – an update! With evidence seemingly of Helen meeting the NHS CEO! And evidence that maybe she is finally starting to reflect on the criticisms of her. (One being that she’s all talk but no action). If true then it’s long overdue. But welcomed all the same. According to Helen it was a ‘productive’ meeting which seems fairly positive, and so I’m guessing that she was not in ‘press-release’ mode, i.e., ranting and ‘slamming’ Mel Pickup or screeching epitaphs at her like ‘we won’t stand for this’. Far from it. It seems to have been more of a grownups meeting, but of course we still only have details about it from one side. I’d think we’d also benefit for an update on this story to clarify whether future meetings have been diarised in or not? Regular hook-ups would definitely be a step in the right direction for Helen.

Moving on though I was curious as to why Cllr Morgan Tarr attended with Helen? The hospital itself is not situated in his ward that he represents so why pray tell was he invited? And then I realised of course, that Morgan Tarr is a full time employee of Helen’s. So was he there to simply carry her bags and in return she’d happily drop his name into this press release, thus giving him a bit more exposure? Who can say? Cllr Matt Smith who also gets a mention, represents the ward in which Helen lives. So no surprise there. But why do the other two Culcheth Labour councillors fail to get a mention? That should be ringing alarm bells for them and they need to be asking questions from Chris Vobe who undoubtedly cobbled this together. I can only imagine that they are currently out of favour with the first family of Labour Warrington North.

By giving name checks to Morgan Tarr and Matt Smith, a cynic might argue that she was trying to demonstrate that she has a good relationship with local councillors. By including, one who works for her and another who represents the area in which she lives is hardly testimony to this though and looks a bit clumsy. Why did she not do the courteous thing and invite Labour councillors do from the ward in which the hospital is situated? That would be logical. But of course that would involve inviting Labour councillors from the other part of the town and that would simply not do. Not in Helen’s world. So far from this being an example of Helen stirring from her divisive slumber, she has in fact used this meeting as an excuse to simply point score, and attempt to turn this into a Labour Warrington North V labour Warrington South battle. All with the aim of securing support in the North and protecting her lofty position. Yet another step forward but two steps back. Helen has firmly returned to her comfort cave.