£3.6m will help A&E cope this winter

CHEADLE MP Mary Robinson has welcomed news that Stockport NHS Foundation Trust is set to receive an additional £3.6 million in order to support A&E capacity ahead of the winter months.

The money means that the Trust will be able to increase its A&E capacity, put enhanced infection prevention and control measures in place and make improvements to emergency care and urgent treatment services.

Across England, the Government is providing £300 million to A&E departments, with work to be completed by the start of next year so hospitals can benefit from the upgrades during the peak of winter.

In June, the Prime Minister announced plans to accelerate £5 billion of infrastructure spending as part of his New Deal for Britain – an ambitious economic strategy to rebuild Britain by putting jobs, skills and infrastructure investment at the heart of the Government’s plans. This funding forms part of the New Deal, which allocated a total of £1.5 billion this year for hospital maintenance, hospital building and A&E expansion.

The Cheadle MP said: “Staff at Stockport Trust have worked tirelessly over recent months, and I would like to thank them for everything they have done to get our local community through the coronavirus pandemic.

“While we hope for the best this winter, it’s right that we plan for the worst. This funding to upgrade A&E across the Trust will ensure that we are in the best possible position for the challenges that the winter months may bring.

“This new funding is on top of the £30.6 million awarded last year to provide a new Emergency Care Campus Development at Stepping Hill Hospital incorporating an Urgent Treatment Centre, GP assessment unit and

Planned Investigation Unit.

“As a Conservative, the NHS is my top priority and I was re-elected last December on a promise to deliver record NHS investment and level up the health service across the country. I am delighted to see the Conservatives in Government getting on with doing exactly that.”