The Tories have pledged to keep the present University Hospital of Hartlepool and to return its lost services if both their candidate, Alan Wright, wins the Hartlepool seat and the Conservatives form the new Government in May. UKIP have offered to stand down in favour of a ‘Save Our Hospital’ candidate provided other candidates do the same.The Lib-Dem candidate thinks that there are other things to talk about; a sentiment with which sitting M.P. Iain Wright would probably wholeheartedly agree with and even pray for daily.All of which seems to confirm that the issue of Hartlepool Hospital will still be right at the top of people’s consideration when deciding which way to vote in the forthcoming General Election.The future of the proposed new hospital at Wynyard is now in doubt after it became clear that funding of the development is under review.A Planning Application was submitted to H.B.C on 16th June with the 'business plan' for the hospital going before the North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust board in September. The business plan will then be considered by the Department of Health who are expected to make an announcement on the hospital’s future in the New Year.Concerns have been expressed over the existence of a ‘back-up’ plan which would see the closure of Hartlepool Hospital with all remaining hospital services transferred to a refurbished North Tees Hospital. Many services have already been transferred making a reversal of this policy now extremely difficult should the new hospital not be given the go-ahead; many people will claim that this was always the plan. In addition, the hospital trust has already submitted plans to use hospital land at its Hartlepool site for the construction of 100 new homes. It would be ironic if the money raised by this was used to help refurbish North Tees Hospital.Politically, the real doubts that are emerging over the new hospital must be a nightmare for sitting M.P. Iain Wright. The then Prime Minister Tony Blair’s infamous promise that Hartlepool Hospital would not close has now gone into town folklore but Mr Wright’s own statements are equally famous. In 2004 he was quotedas saying, "I'm going to make sure it (the hospital) isn't downgraded or moved out of town."As a result, his present comment: "My understanding is that the money is there. I am working with Andy Burnham, the Secretary of State for Health, and Liam Byrne, Chief Secretary to the Treasury, to bring that forward as quickly as possible”, carries about as much weight as someone still claiming that the world is flat.The M.P. has already been tarnished by the M.P.’s expenses scandal after spending £600 of taxpayers money on a CD Player and after claiming legal expenses to purchase the freehold of his London property.The General Election is expected to be held in May of next year when any furore created by a decision to shelve the new hospital plans will be at its height. In which case, Mr Wright will have a real struggle on his hands if he is to hold on to his seat and if, after such a long saga, Hartlepool was to lose its one remaining hospital in favour of Stockton. Political opponents would no doubt have a field day.There must also be doubts about the local labour group whose initial opposition to the plans for a new hospital quickly evaporated in order to avoid causing waves between themselves and their national colleagues.The Council, the Mayor and the local P.C.T. all sat and watched while services were transferred one by one to North Tees Hospital. Its clear now that they did so without any guarantees that the new hospital would even be built and to the point where, should the plans for the new hospital now be shelved, it is no longer feasible to bring those services back to Hartlepool.The Gathering Stormcontactssite mapwrite for us
The Tories have pledged to keep the present University Hospital of Hartlepool and to return its
lost services if both their candidate, Alan Wright, wins the Hartlepool seat and the Conservatives
form the new Government in May.
UKIP have offered to stand down in favour of a ‘Save Our Hospital’ candidate provided other
candidates do the same.
The Lib-Dem candidate thinks that there are
other things to talk about; a sentiment with
which sitting M.P. Iain Wright would probably
wholeheartedly agree with and even pray for
daily.
All of which seems to confirm that the issue of
Hartlepool Hospital will still be right at the top
of people’s consideration when deciding which
way to vote in the forthcoming General
Election.
The future of the proposed new hospital at
Wynyard is now in doubt after it became clear
that funding of the development is under
review.
A Planning Application was submitted to H.B.C on 16th June with the 'business plan' for the
hospital going before the North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust board in September.
The business plan will then be considered by the Department of Health who are expected to
make an announcement on the hospital’s future in the New Year.
Concerns have been expressed over the existence of a ‘back-up’ plan which would see the
closure of Hartlepool Hospital with all remaining hospital services transferred to a refurbished
North Tees Hospital. Many services have already been
transferred making a reversal of this policy now
extremely difficult should the new hospital not be given
the go-ahead; many people will claim that this was
always the plan. In addition, the hospital trust has
already submitted plans to use hospital land at its
Hartlepool site for the construction of 100 new homes. It
would be ironic if the money raised by this was used to
help refurbish North Tees Hospital.
Politically, the real doubts that are emerging over the
new hospital must be a nightmare for sitting M.P. Iain
Wright. The then Prime Minister Tony Blair’s infamous
promise that Hartlepool Hospital would not close has
now gone into town folklore but Mr Wright’s own
statements are equally famous. In 2004 he was quoted
as saying, "I'm going to make sure it (the hospital) isn't downgraded or moved out of town."
As a result, his present comment: "My understanding is that the money is there. I am working
with Andy Burnham, the Secretary of State for Health, and Liam Byrne, Chief Secretary to the
Treasury, to bring that forward as quickly as possible”, carries about as much weight as
someone still claiming that the world is flat.
The M.P. has already been tarnished by the M.P.’s expenses scandal after spending £600 of
taxpayers money on a CD Player and after claiming legal expenses to purchase the freehold of
his London property.
The General Election is expected to be held in May of next year when any furore created by a
decision to shelve the new hospital plans will be at its height. In which case, Mr Wright will have
a real struggle on his hands if he is to hold on to his seat and if, after such a long saga,
Hartlepool was to lose its one remaining hospital in favour of Stockton. Political opponents
would no doubt have a field day.
There must also be doubts about the local labour group whose initial opposition to the plans for
a new hospital quickly evaporated in order to avoid causing waves between themselves and
their national colleagues.
The Council, the Mayor and the local P.C.T. all sat and watched while services were transferred
one by one to North Tees Hospital. Its clear now that they did so without any guarantees that
the new hospital would even be built and to the point where, should the plans for the new
hospital now be shelved, it is no longer feasible to bring those services back to Hartlepool.
The Gathering Storm
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