MPs call for 'urgent' funding on Stepping Hill Hospital repairs

By Alasdair Perry 4th Feb 2025

Liberal Democrat politicians at Stepping Hill hospital. Left to right: Lisa Smart, Hazel Grove MP; Ed Davey, Lib Dem leader; Tom Morrison, Cheadle MP; Cllr Mark Hunter, Stockport Council leader (Image - Stockport Lib Dems)
Liberal Democrat politicians at Stepping Hill hospital. Left to right: Lisa Smart, Hazel Grove MP; Ed Davey, Lib Dem leader; Tom Morrison, Cheadle MP; Cllr Mark Hunter, Stockport Council leader (Image - Stockport Lib Dems)

Two local MPs have called on the government to provide funding for repairs to Stepping Hill Hospital.

Lisa Smart and Tom Morrison - MPs for Hazel Grove and Cheadle respectively - have called for 'urgent' funding for the hospital building, after it was left out of the government's New Hospitals Programme (NHP).

The NHP is a plan to provide funding for improvements at around 40 hospitals across the UK, to be delivered in a number of separate waves and schemes. Stepping Hill is not included in the list.

In his foreword to the NHP, Health Secretary Wes Streeting said: "I would rather take tough decisions which are the right decisions for the future, than lead patients up a garden path once more only for them to be let down again."

Tom Morrison MP said: "This is unacceptable. The so-called 'New Hospital Programme' has been riddled with delays, confusion, and broken promises – ignoring hospitals that desperately need investment. Stepping Hill deserves better. 

"Patients are being treated in failing buildings, and staff are struggling under impossible conditions. I will not stop fighting until our community gets the healthcare it deserves."

Stepping Hill Hospital (Image - Nub News)

Lisa Smart MP added: "The legacy of the failed Tory Government hangs over this decision, but that is not an excuse for this taking so long. We are not getting enough answers from Ministers or clarity over future funding.

"The solutions are clear. Patients deserve better than closed doors."

Mark Hunter, the leader of Stockport Council, added: "Parts of Stepping Hill Hospital are literally falling down, and the situation is totally unacceptable. We deserve better from central government, and I repeat my invitation to the Secretary of State to come and see for himself the dire circumstances which patients and our dedicated doctors and nurses are having to tolerate."

A Department for Health spokesperson said: "No one is under any illusions the NHS estate we inherited is crumbling, following years of neglect, but repairing and rebuilding our hospital estate is a key part of our ambition to create a health service for the future," they added.

"At the Budget, we announced £1bn to address the backlog of critical NHS maintenance, repairs and upgrades, and tackle dangerous RAAC concrete, as part of the highest capital budget in real terms since before 2010."

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