Earlier this week, the Government confirmed that funding guaranteed by the previous Conservative Government for two new hospitals, a midwifery-led unit and a multi-storey car park in Leicester will remain in place.
Following their review, the Labour Government have laid out an implementation timeline which staggers this funding and the resulting construction between 2025-2039, split into 3 waves. Leicester Royal Infirmary, Leicester General Hospital and Glenfield Hospital have been allocated to Wave 2, with construction scheduled between 2032 to 2034, and an estimated cost of £1 billion to £1.5 billion.
This comes as bittersweet news. On the one hand, I am, of course, delighted to see that the funding has been reconfirmed thanks to the work of local people and representatives. However, I remain disappointed that the much-needed works due to be completed here in Leicester are now scheduled to take place in at least 8 years time. Our fantastic NHS workers deserve a high-quality working environment, and local patients deserve the very best treatment now.
Labour’s decision to delay this to a date where they may no longer be in Government means these plans remain at risk. To simply ‘support development’ is not enough, and I will continue to work to hold Labour accountable for their decisions on Leicester healthcare throughout my time in Parliament.
