Labour has today announced that they will deliver vital maintenance in hospitals to help prevent cancelled appointments and operations, with patients in Portsmouth set to benefit from the Government’s Plan for Change.
Across the country, over 400 hospitals, mental health units and ambulance sites will be handed £750million to tackle long-term problems such as leaky pipes, poor ventilation and electrical issues, helping to prevent thousands of cancelled operations and appointments.
Portsmouth South MP Stephen Morgan described the funding as ‘vital’ and another step in this Government’s mission to fix the dire state of public service infrastructure we inherited from the Tories.
The projects include much needed works at St Mary’s Community Hospital and Queen Alexandra Hospital in Portsmouth which will help patients benefit from better services and facilities across the health system.
Across the country, fixing the backlog of maintenance at NHS hospitals will help prevent cancellations, with services disrupted over 4,000 times in 2023/24 due to issues with poor quality buildings.
The hospital funding package was confirmed in last year’s Autumn Budget, in which an extra £26billion was secured for the NHS by the Labour Government.
Commenting, Portsmouth South MP Stephen Morgan said:
“At the election, we pledged to get the NHS back on its feet, and this investment will help do that here in Portsmouth.
“St Mary’s Community Hospital and Queen Alexandra Hospital in Portsmouth will both benefit from this funding, providing local patients with better services.
“With more appointments, more GPs and more investment to prevent cancelled appointments, we are beginning to turn the NHS around, making it fit for the future for Portsmouth people. Lots done, and lots more to do.”
Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Wes Streeting, said:
“A decade and a half of underinvestment left hospitals crumbling, with burst pipes flooding emergency departments, faulty electrical systems shutting down operating theatres, and mothers giving birth in outdated facilities that lack basic dignity.
“We are on a mission to rebuild our NHS through investment and modernisation.
“Patients and staff deserve to be in buildings that are safe, comfortable and fit for purpose. Through our Plan for Change, we will make our NHS fit for the future.”
