Dr Luke Evans, Member of Parliament for Hinckley and Bosworth, calls for people to a sign petition demanding the new Labour Government honours plan to build two new hospitals in Leicester.
A programme was announced by the Conservative Government in May 2023 for a new hospital at the Leicester Royal Infirmary for women's and ICU services, a midwifery-led unit at Leicester General Hospital and a new hospital at the Glenfield for elective inpatients, theatres, outpatients and day cases.
On 20th September the new Health Secretary, Wes Streeting, wrote to MPs and confirmed that the plans for two new hospitals in Leicester would be subject to review. A date for when the review would be completed has not been set.
Work is due to start on the new hospital for the Leicester Royal Infirmary in 2025.
Plans for the overhaul of healthcare infrastructure at University Hospitals Leicester also confirmed the Department for Health and Social Care would support the Trust with plans for a new multi-storey car park and a six-storey extension at LRI to re-provide an immunology lab, a pharmacy expansion and clinical genetics.
These changes have been argued for years, and are much needed by staff and patients alike. Dr Luke Evans, GP-turned-MP for Hinckley and Bosworth, warned “The review jeopardises not only patient care, but the welfare of those who work in the service.”
Investment into Leicester’s healthcare facilities follows work on the £24.6m Community Diagnostic Centre at Hinckley & District Hospital – due to open early 2025 – and recent news that £10m for a Day Case Unit on the same site in Hinckley has also been secured.
Dr Evans, who worked with the NHS to secure the funding, welcomed “over £34m for healthcare in Hinckley which means people can access tests, scans and small surgeries locally.”
People in Hinckley and Bosworth can sign the petition here: https://www.drlukeevans.org.uk/news/new-leicester-hospitals-petition
Dr Luke Evans, Member of Parliament for Hinckley and Bosworth, said “These plans are incredibly important to people across Hinckley and Bosworth, who depend upon the facilities at Leicester General Hospital, Glenfield Hospital and Leicester Royal Infirmary.
“University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust is one of the biggest and busiest NHS Trusts in the country - serving over 1,100,000 people in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland - and both staff and patients have been anticipating these promised new facilities.
“Work is due to start on the new hospital at the Leicester Royal Infirmary next year, but this review puts that work in jeopardy.
“I urge everyone across our community who wants to see these new facilities to sign the petition.
“I and other MPs across our county have written to the new Health Secretary to urge him to honour plans made by the Department for Health and give clarity to both patients and NHS staff who want to see these new hospitals become a reality.”
