Hopes a crumbling Norfolk hospital could be rebuilt are soaring after an MP whose constituency it serves was made health secretary.
North East Cambridgeshire MP Steve Barclay was appointed after Sajid Javid resigned on Tuesday evening over concerns about Boris Johnson's government.
One of the first letters that lands on his desk will be an invitation to visit the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in King's Lynn.
Mr Barclay has previously spoken out in favour of rebuilding the QEH, where the roof is supported by 1,500 props to prevent it collapsing.
Senior managers are understood to be writing to Mr Barclay, inviting him to visit the hospital to see conditions first hand.
“My son was born at the QEH so I know from personal experience how important it is to many families in the constituency and beyond,” Mr Barclay said, when he pledged his support to the campaign for a rebuild.
“The hospital is 40 years old and there comes a time when repeated short term fixes become more costly and less patient friendly than starting afresh.
“I will work with colleagues to support their campaign to see the QEH on the list for funding."
North West Norfolk MP James Wild, who has pressed Mr Barclay's predecessors to back the bid for a new QEH, said: "I’ll make that case to his successor and my constituency neighbour Steve Barclay."
"His constituents also use QEH and he knows the issues from his time as a health minister."
The QEH was not included in a list of 40 new hospitals announced by Boris Johnson two years ago.
It now hopes to be one of eight further projects which are due to be announced shortly.
The QEH, which opened in 1980, was built from concrete planks with an expected life of 30 years. It is still in operation more than four decades later.
Planks are now beginning to fail, meaning areas of the roof have to be propped up to prevent them collapsing.
Managers have submitted a bid for an £862m new hospital on its current site on Gayton Road off the A149 bypass, with the main building on what is currently the car park.
Health minister Edward Argar visited the site last month and acknowledged the challenges staff face. But he stopped short of offering any firm commitment.
There are hopes a decision may be announced before Parliament goes into recess later this month, although that may now depend on whether beleaguered Boris Johnson manages to limp on until MPs set off for their summer holidays .
Mr Barclay, who was first elected in 2010, has previously served as Cabinet Office minister, chief secretary to the Treasury and Brexit secretary.
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