5,000 sign hospital rebuild petition - now help us make it 10,000
A campaign calling for the QEH in King's Lynn has received the backing of more than 5,000 people. - Credit: QEH
A campaign calling for a new hospital for west Norfolk has received the backing of more than 5,000 people.
Officials and health professionals have raised concern over the current state of the Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH), which sees parts of a deteriorating roof at the King's Lynn building supported by steel props.
More than 5,100 people have signed our petition to rebuild the QEH which has stood for more than 10 years past its expected working life of 30 years.
An example of one of the 131 props in place around the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in King's Lynn, including its kitchen and Rudham ward. - Credit: QEH
It is easy to sign the petition - so we are calling on readers to help us take the total to 10,000 names.
A number of patients were temporarily moved from the critical care unit (CCU) at the hospital last month following concern over the state of its roof.
Work with steel contractors is said to be taking place to install a steel frame to resolve the current issues following the "immediate action" of putting in place props to prevent further degradation, and the hospital's chief executive Caroline Shaw said the CCU will reopen once necessary repairs and a thorough risk assessment has taken place.
The EDP's petition calls on the government to look again at the precarious situation, and to think of local residents and hospital staff, in order to give them a modern and safe facility to go to.
And those signing our petition commented their reasons for doing so, with many saying local people needed a hospital that was fit for purpose.
An example of one of the 131 props in place around the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in King's Lynn, including its kitchen and Rudham ward. - Credit: QEH
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Lisa Thompson, who works at the QEH, posted: "This is something that has needed to be done for years."
Rachel Ackers added: "I work here so have firsthand experience of the fear of the roof collapsing on top of you. Not only that but it is a town hospital, with a current population close to that of a small city. The hospital is no longer fit for purpose."
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Trish Newham said: "Staff and the burgeoning population this hospital is trying to serve deserve better."
Kate Higgins said: "The hospital is becoming unfit for purpose. There is no point in trying to patch it up. A new hospital would be more cost effective in the long-term and better for the growing numbers of residents in west Norfolk."
Maintaining the roof for the next decade will cost £550m, while a new hospital would cost £650m.
To sign our petition visit change.org/p/matthew-hancock-mp-build-a-new-hospital-for-king-s-lynn
