Luke Pollard with Ann James at Derriford Hospital
Luke Pollard with Ann James at Derriford Hospital

Luke Pollard, MP for Plymouth Sutton and Devonport, has issued a call for Plymouth to get behind Derriford Hospital’s campaign for £25m for an urgently needed upgrade to the Emergency Department.

On a visit to Derriford Hospital, Luke met with Ann James, Derriford’s Chief Executive, and doctors and staff at Derriford’s ED to see the £2.5m upgrades announced earlier in the year by Ministers. At the time Luke said the upgrade money was welcome but that it was a “sticking plaster” and Derriford needs £25m for a full refurbishment and expansion of its A&E facilities.

Luke said:

“I spent a night in Derriford shadowing staff a few months ago and their commitment and dedication is incredible. We all know someone who has been through Derriford and the staff there are brilliant but their facilities are dated and designed for fewer patients than use the hospital today. That’s why I was proud to back Derriford’s campaign for £25m for a new Emergency Department. It’s good to see Johnny Mercer has also backed Derriford’s campaign so it can truly be a cross-party effort to apply pressure to Ministers. As we saw from the campaign on frigates, we are most successful when MPs work cross-party and that’s what we need to get our fair share of funding for Derriford too.

 

Derriford has a good case for funding and I’m hopeful Ministers will make the right decision, but to help Ministers we need the whole city to get behind Derriford’s campaign so the strength of feeling is in no doubt. So that’s why today I’m encouraging the city council, businesses and individuals to write to Matt Hancock, the new Health Secretary, to impress on him why this upgrade is so important and why it is needed now. Derriford’s staff do such a superb job but with more and more patients and greater severity of care needs especially over the winter months, they need the facilities to match their skills and dedication. Instead of this being a campaign only pushed by MPs I want to see the whole city get behind Derriford’s campaign so we are more powerful and persuasive. Let’s get behind Derriford’s campaign.”

What else has happened during the campaign so far?

  1. In August 2018 Luke wrote to the Health Secretary backing calls for a £25m upgrade after spending a night shift in Derriford. Herald coverage of the letter here: https://www.plymouthherald.co.uk/news/health/urgent-meeting-parliament-over-future-1900664
  2. In September 2018, Luke again echoed the call for an A&E upgrade on a visit to Derriford to meet Ann James: https://www.lukepollard.org/news/2018/09/10/luke-pollard-mp-welcomes-2-million-derriford-emergency-department-upgrade-but-says-campaign-for-fully-funded-refurbishment-will-continue/
  3. In November 2018 Johnny Mercer announced he would campaign for £25m to upgrade Derriford’s Emergency Department https://www.plymouthherald.co.uk/news/local-news/plymouth-mp-vows-25m-derrifords-2208350

 

 

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