Campaigners are urging people to 'take action' and to add their voice to a case for a new hospital build for west Norfolk.

The Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH) in King's Lynn is crumbling and around 200 props are holding up parts of its roof.

Thousands of people have signed petitions calling for the hospital to be rebuilt, and the QEH is waiting to see if it will be included in eight new builds following a government spending review.

Members of the Save the QEH group have been holding weekly demonstrations outside the hospital to voice their concerns and to raise support, and campaigners plan to take the case to parliament on Wednesday, September 15 to lobby MPs on the issue.

Eastern Daily Press: Protestors outside the QEH hospital in King's Lynn, at the demo organised by Kings Lynn Trades CouncilProtestors outside the QEH hospital in King's Lynn, at the demo organised by Kings Lynn Trades Council (Image: Archant)


Organiser Jo Rust said: "The purpose for that is so staff know they have external support, for the fact they are having to come into work in a building that is not 100pc certain it's entirely safe, because they haven't inspected it all."

She said it is important people do not think that the case for a new hospital is "a done deal", urging people to add their weight to it by emailing their MPs, signing the petitions and postcards that are being sent to health secretary Sajid Javid.

Eastern Daily Press: Jo Rust, Secretary of King’s Lynn and District Trades council, at the protest to encourage a rebuild of the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in King’s Lynn.Jo Rust, Secretary of King’s Lynn and District Trades council, at the protest to encourage a rebuild of the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in King’s Lynn. (Image: Ella Wilkinson)

Around 25 people across constituencies covered by the QEH are expected to attend the demonstration in September, and Ms Rust said MP James Wild has been asked to arrange an appointment with Mr Javid to allow campaigners to personally hand him 100 signed postcards.

She said: "We still need people to take action.

"We are nowhere near the state of being confident that we are going to get funding. We do not even know whether we will be shortlisted yet.

"This isn't over and it won't be over until we get funding."

Campaigners will also be on a market stall in Downham Market on Saturday, August 14 to spread the word about the campaign.

Almost 8,000 people have signed the EDP's petition calling for a hospital rebuild and more than 6,500 people have signed a petition launched by the Love West Norfolk group calling for funding to be prioritised.