NEWS that Warrington will not be getting a new hospital has caused a political fall out with Labour politicians accusing the Tory Government and Warrington South MP Andy Carter of “broken promises.”
But Mr Carter hit back saying claims of “broken promises” were simply untrue accusing his Labour counterparts of not really engaging in the process.
Describing it as a “bitter blow” for the town, Labour politicians said that in its 2019 manifesto, the Conservative government promised that 40 new hospitals were to be constructed in England by 2030 and, following his election as Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, announced an additional 8 hospitals, bringing the number promised to 48. Warrington and Halton submitted a compelling, evidence-based case that stated why a new hospital in Warrington was necessary and a priority.
They highlighted that Mr Carter says on his website: “I’ll work with … the government to get new hospital plans up and running, which means better access to emergency health care and access to appointments when we need them most.”
Warrington and Halton Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust officially submitted its bid for a new hospital in September 2021. Warrington expected a decision by spring last year however the announcement has only just been made after more than a year of delays and uncertainty.
Mr Carter met with the Health Minister as recently as January, saying he was “Determined to secure funding to build a new hospital” and in October 2022 the Conservative MP for Warrington South claimed it was his “number one priority”
Sarah Hall Labour’s Parliamentary candidate for Warrington South said: “Failing to deliver a new hospital is yet another broken promise from the Conservatives and Andy Carter.
“Warrington is desperately in need of a new hospital. But did we really expect the Conservatives to invest in Warrington’s future?
“Under the Conservatives, our NHS is struggling, waiting times are through the roof and patients are asking themselves are they really receiving better healthcare after 13 years of Tory neglect and decline.
“The NHS, and all of the hardworking teams who work across our town helping our communities are absolutely fantastic.
“They deserve the support, resources and buildings needed to perform their roles to the best of their ability. The Tories have yet again pushed Warrington to the bottom of the pile.
“I know what kind of positive impact the hospital could have on our town, this is something I will keep fighting for.
Charlotte Nichols Labour MP for Warrington North, added:“I’m disappointed to learn that Warrington won’t be getting its new hospital that was promised by the Conservatives.
“Our town has outgrown the outdated Lovely Lane site and I have lost count at the number of requests for a new hospital from my constituents.
“A new hospital in Warrington would have meant more than just bricks and mortar.
“It would have provided opportunities for growth and new jobs in the NHS and construction sector.
“A new hospital would save on annual maintenance costs associated with older buildings meaning more money spent on frontline services.
“But crucially, it would mean a hospital fit for the future, delivering better services, better access and better outcomes for communities across our town.
“I will continue to work with the NHS and other local partners to fight for what we deserve.”
Meanwhile Mr Carter responded saying: “To say anyone ‘promised’ that Warrington would have a new hospital at the end of this process is simply untrue. The Department for Health asked us to make a bid for funding, not everyone was guaranteed to be a winner. I do appreciate some of the Labour politicians might have missed this as they’ve not really been engaged in the process, despite claiming to be working hard and campaigning for a new hospital.
“When there’s limited funding available, you don’t always get the outcome you want so it’s ridiculous to say we’ve broken our promises, we submitted a really good application, alongside lots of other health trusts but unfortunately we didn’t succeed this time and I thank the Warrington NHS Trust Team for all their hard work.
“One of the first meetings I had when I was elected as the MP in 2019 was about getting a working group up and running to pull a bid together for the hospital because the last two Labour MPs had done nothing for two years. With the news today, we’ve already started to work on plan B, looking at how we address the urgent need for more space in A&E as well as car parking and location of some outpatient services.”
New Warrington hospital bid fails in latest funding announcement
4 Comments
Just compare Whiston with Warrington, Whiston is a centre of excellence. With Warrington one of the fastest developing towns it needs a Hospital similar to Whiston
Compare Whiston and St Helens hospitals that work effectively and efficiently in tandem to their patients’ benefit with Warrington and Halton, which could achieve similar patient benefits, had there been a willingness to emulate the Whiston/St Helens model.
There are hospitals in other parts of the country that require urgent renovation and require rebuilding urgently .
People forget what crisis s the country has experienced in the last 3 years
The covid pandemic the increasing cost of living .
These events have had a incredible impact on the UKs finances .
I haven’t had any bad experience s with Warrington or Halton hospitals. And during the last 2 years I have required there services alot more
I know Andy Carter is disappointed about the decision but at least he tried