The Lancaster MP has raised concerns about hospital funding with the Prime Minister.
During Prime Minister’s Questions in the House of Commons, Cat Smith highlighted the state of Royal Lancaster Infirmary buildings with Rishi Sunak, asking the where promised funding is for a new and improved hospital for the city.
Ms Smith asked: ‘’Last week I met with RCN nurses. One of the biggest challenges that they face is the crumbling buildings of the Royal Lancaster Infirmary.
‘’Hospital bosses were promised capital funding as part of one of these, so called, 40 new hospitals back in January. But it’s March and they haven’t seen a penny. So how many broken hospitals and broken promises will it take for the Prime Minister to finally fix something?.”
In response, the Prime Minister said: “We’re investing record sums in the hospital capital upgrade programme across the country. I’m very happy to make sure we are making progress on the scheme that she mentioned and that she gets the detail of that.
‘’But not just the 40 hospitals but 90 upgrades around the country and up to 300 community diagnostic centres and surgical hubs. This is a Government that is backing the NHS with the resources it needs.”
Cat Smith later commented: “I am disappointed that the Prime Minister does not take seriously the dire needs of the people of Lancaster and Fleetwood.
‘’Access to high quality hospital buildings is as urgent as it is necessary. It is a disgrace that the Government promised new hospitals three years ago and is yet to take any meaningful steps forward.”
In July 2021, the New Hospitals Programme published a Case for Change report, which explained why funding for new hospital facilities is essential for the health of people in Lancashire and South Cumbria.
Following this in September 2021, a longlist of possible solutions was shared for hospital facilities in Preston, Lancaster and Barrow-in-Furness.
In March 2022, the NHS in Lancashire and South Cumbria published a shortlist of proposals for new hospital facilities locally, before in September, stating its preference for new hospitals on new sites for both Royal Preston Hospital and Royal Lancaster Infirmary as part of the New Hospitals Programme.
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