MP meets with Health Minister on Stepping Hill Hospital

Local MP Lisa Smart was hopeful on future improvements to Stepping Hill Hospital, and the potential for delivering a future second site, following a meeting with Health Minister Karin Smyth. 

She was clear to the Minister on the need for both short-term work and long-term delivery, and was heartened by the Minister promising to work with local healthcare leaders to ensure that their ambitions could be met. 

Lib Dem MP Lisa Smart said: “This meeting has been a long time in coming, and that has left many questions about the Government’s commitment to the work that is needed, so it was a positive step to get this level of engagement from the Minister.

“Hundreds of residents have been in touch with me, letting me know what the impact of the hospital’s condition has been on them – as well as plenty of praise for the staff working in such difficult conditions. I was able to make sure that the Minister heard directly about the impact that these spending decisions are having on people’s lives.”

The Minister is due to also travel to visit the site later this year, which will give the local Liberal Democrat MPs the chance to show her first hand the problems

Lisa added: “While the Minister focused on the Government’s spending review, and their 10 year plan for the NHS, the overall tone was constructive. Being able to sit face to face and really get into the practical steps needed to move this forward was a real positive. Now we need to see concrete action.”