Mike Amesbury MP petitions for new Halton and Warrington hospital

This is the view of Weaver Vale MP Mike Amesbury, who has launched a petition calling for new hospital campuses for both Halton and Warrington.

The Labour MP says the current Halton Hospital site and surrounding community, within the east Runcorn part of his constituency, are in ‘desperate need of investment’.

Warrington and Halton Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust confirmed in July last year that it would be submitting a bid to the Government for a new state-of-the-art Warrington Hospital.

It came following an announcement by the Department of Health and Social Care that eight new hospital sites are to be built in England as part of the Government’s £3.8billion New Hospital Programme.

In October 2020, the Government named 32 hospitals which will form part of the 40 new hospital plan, which Warrington missed out on, with the final eight up for consideration.

The emergency department at Warrington Hospital

The trust officially submitted its new hospital bid in September, with a decision expected in the spring.

In the meantime, construction work on a major £6.3million, six-month project to significantly increase the capacity of the Lovely Lane site’s emergency department has begun.

But Simon Constable, chief executive of Warrington and Halton hospitals, says that this is ‘compatible rather than competing’ with the aim for a new hospital.

Mr Amesbury said: “My petition calls on the Government to prioritise Halton and Warrington for major investment to create two new hospital campuses as part of its New Hospital Programme.

“Unfortunately, the people of Halton have been subject to a litany of broken promises.

Professor Simon Constable, chief executive of Warrington Hospital, at the ground breaking ceremony as work begins on an expansion of the emergency department

“In 2018, the Government failed to provide £40million of funding for Runcorn’s proposed new hospital campus, the second rejection since 2010.

“Cheshire and Merseyside Health and Care Partnership says the Halton and Warrington project is its ‘top priority’ after bid number three was submitted to secure funding from the Government.

“Let us hope it is third time lucky, but I am not counting my chickens.

“That is why I am asking the community of Halton to get behind this petition to show those in charge we expect and demand a modern, first-class NHS hospital and services on our doorstep.

“If the Government’s levelling up policy is to mean anything, then tackling health inequalities must surely be part of that approach, especially given Halton Hospital is located in a deprived neighbourhood.

“Please sign the petition because our community deserves the very best.”

Halton Hospital

When the bid for a new hospital was submitted, Prof. Constable urged people in both Warrington and Halton to pledge their support.

He said: “We have continuously spoken with residents in both communities, and the bid reflects the current and future needs and requirements of residents, patients and staff, but we need strong and vocal support for the bid.

“Our bid will be one of many submitted to become one of only eight new hospitals to be built under the New Hospital Programme and competition will be fierce.

“We have been talking about new hospitals in Halton and Warrington for nearly five years, but now is the time to make that effort a reality.”

To add your name to the petition, visit change.org/haltonhospital