On 29th July 2024, Chancellor Rachel Reeves threw the future of Derriford Hospital's new Urgent and Emergency Care Facility into doubt with the announcement of the New Hospital Programme Review. Patients across South West Devon and the wider South West have been deeply concerned by this move, writing directly to Rebecca.
Johnny Mercer's crowning achievement as Derriford Hospital's Member of Parliament until July was securing £180m government funding for the project, a once-in-a-generation investment in our region's NHS. Instead of building on this, the Labour Government are toying with cancelling it. Their local representatives efforts have failed to prevent Derriford from being placed under review.
The new Urgent and Emergency Care Facility is essential for the NHS to be able to accommodate for our region's above-average population growth. In 2023/24, 156,316 patients attended UHP's Urgent and Emergency Care units, a number that will only increase. The new facility will treat the sickest patients more quickly, avoid unnecessary admissions, facilitate early discharge and improve outcomes.
Snapshot of the new Urgent and Emergency Care Facility:
- Purpose-built facility with 26 chair bays in the ambulatory area and 24-bed short-stay ward
- New Same Day Emergency Care Facility for patients who need to be seen and treated but not admitted
- New state-of-the-art diagnostic equipment, interventional radiology theatres and surgical threatres
- Multi-organisational frailty service
- Improved general welfare and rest facilities
In response, Rebecca has launched a petition which she intends to present before Parliament if necessary to safeguard the new Urgent and Emergency Care Facility. The investment is critical to secure better health outcomes in the South West, doubling the space to care for patients. Derriford Hospital has publicly stated that it needs clarity from the Government. Any further delays risk pushing back their plans to deliver the new facility by spring 2025.
Rebecca will continue to meet and actively engage with senior leaders at Derriford Hospital. As a Councillor she brought key stakeholders together to improve our health service, a role she can perform even more effectively as a MP.
Rebecca Smith MP, Member of Parliament for South West Devon, stated:
I welcome the fact that the Government is still considering this essential scheme. The capacity challenges at Derriford Hospital are in plain sight. Its health workers operate in an extremely challenging environment. Every day my inbox is filled with emails from constituents who are left waiting for treatment at Derriford Hospital.
Significant improvements have been made. Last month I attended the opening of the South West Liver Unit, a cutting-edge 23-bed unit which will play a vital role in early testing and diagnosis. The opening of the Royal Eye Infirmary in October 2023 brings together the outpatient and surgical eye treatments previously provided at Derriford into a new state-of-the-art three-floor facility. The new Bantham Ward and Chesnut Unit opened in December 2023 will drive down wait times for orthopaedic and urology. Enabling works for the new urgent care facility have already started.
However, removing Derriford from the New Hospitals Programme, a scale of investment not delivered since 1981, will be a blow to the gut for every health worker and patient in the South West which relies on it. It is the only solution which meets the scale of the challenge facing NHS care in our region. I will not relent until the Government sees this landmark project through to completion.
There is clear strong local opposition to these cuts. The £180m funding secured from the previous government was hard earned - we must fight to keep it. That is why I am launching a petition to protect the funding for Derriford Hospital. I am totally committed to holding the new Labour government to account and, with your support, will campaign against these detrimental Labour NHS cuts. Please sign the petition so that this strength of feeling can be felt in Parliament.
Constituents who are unable to sign the petition digitally are invited to write to Rebecca with their support using the address House of Commons, London SW1A 0AA.
For a full list of all projects currently under threat go to https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/new-hospital-programme-review-terms-of-reference/new-hospital-programme-review-terms-of-reference
Important clarification: The new Dartmoor Building which will house the new urgent treatment centre and fracture clinic is unaffected by this review.