Havant MP Alan Mak has welcomed a multi-million pound investment in Queen Alexandra Hospital after spearheading the campaign in Westminster.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock travelled to the hospital to make the announcement that the Government will be funding a new £60million A&E department.
After speaking to staff and touring the hospital accompanied by Alan, he underlined how crucial the support from local MPs was in making the decision.
This year Alan has made campaigning for the extra money one of his top priorities, having seen first-hand at the hospital the need for a new emergency floor. During the last 12 months he’s written letters in support of the bid and met with the Health Secretary to make the case in person.
He made the case that the emergency department at QA now sees up to 400 patients a day, up a third from 2010, meaning that it is often operating at capacity.
Alan Mak MP said: “Following a year of lobbying in Parliament and meeting Ministers, I am delighted that my campaign alongside hospital staff and leadership for a new emergency floor has been successful. That work now means QA Hospital will receive significant investment to redevelop its A&E department and improve mental health provision and implement cutting edge diagnostic equipment. This new money will be vital to future-proof the hospital against our ageing population, and is part of the Government’s wider commitment of long-term investment into our NHS.”
The new emergency floor is expected to be completed by February 2021, with the money that Alan helped secure also going towards an acute mental health unit, and more diagnostic equipment among other things.
The extra money was also welcomed by the chief executive of Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust Mark Cubbon, who thanked Alan for his support in securing the investment.
He said: “We are grateful for this investment, which will enable us to provide a higher quality environment to improve the experience of our patients and that of our staff across many of our departments. We should not underestimate the huge opportunity this presents.
“Thank you to everyone who has supported us, including our local MPs, who have recognised the value this investment will bring to our local community.”
