Govt hospital pledge set to be a let down for Devon

Liberal Democrat MP for Tiverton & Honiton Richard Foord has criticised the Government for failing to invest properly in Devon’s hospitals, as new information shows Ministers will not have built 40 ‘new’ hospitals by 2030 – as they have repeatedly promised.

In an update to Parliament, Health Secretary Stephen Barclay confirmed that several hospitals across the country would not see promised work completed by 2030. This has been a key Conservative promise since the 2019 General Election.

Speaking to MPs, the Health Secretary said that the promised projects would be divided into four ‘Cohorts’. This means some hospitals will not see spades in the ground for several years and many not seeing the promised work finished until after 2030.

Local MP Richard Foord has criticised the announcement for containing no detail on additional support for local Community Hospitals, which he has been campaigning for.
The announcement also tries to brand the expansion of facilities at some sites, including in Barnstaple, as ‘New Hospitals’.

Commenting, Richard Foord MP said:
“Today’s announcement is an admission of failure by this dysfunctional Conservative Government.

“They are failing to deliver on their promise; for many in Devon there is still no sign of these new hospitals and today confirms that for some, there will be no spades in the ground for years to come.

“The measures announced today also failed to offer any additional support to our local Community Hospitals, which have been hollowed out in recent years by wave after wave of Conservative cuts.

“These vital community services help treat people close to home and relieve some of the pressure on hospitals like the RD&E – which is not set to receive any new facilities or extra help, despite the pressure they are under.

“The Health Secretary needs to come clean to patients and staff. These hospitals are not new, they are not coming soon, and many people will rightly feel that they’ve once again been taken for granted by this Conservative Government.”