A call has been made for the building of a new hospital for King's Lynn to be accelerated - in memory of the Duke Of Edinburgh.

More than 131 props are now holding up the roof in 41 areas of the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, while critically-ill patients have had to be transferred to other hospitals.

Eastern Daily Press: 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.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. (Image: QEH)

While an emergency payment of £20m has been agreed to cover maintenance, worried staff are waiting to hear whether a new build will be approved as part of the government's hospital improvement plan.

After missing out in a funding round which saw new-builds or refurbishments announced for 40 hospitals last year, the QEH is now one of 16 hospitals from which eight will be chosen to be replaced after 2025.

And, at a meeting of Norfolk County Council's Conservative-controlled cabinet on Monday, there was a call for pressure to be applied to get a new hospital built in memory of Prince Philip, following his death on Friday. (April 9).

Eastern Daily Press: Alexandra Kemp raised concerns about the West Winch access road plansAlexandra Kemp raised concerns about the West Winch access road plans

Alexandra Kemp, independent county councillor for Clenchwarton and King's Lynn South, said: "To all of the members of cabinet, I would ask: 'Can you simply bang on the doors of Number 10 and Number 11?' Because this is critical.

People-Show-Their-Respects-To-Prince-Philip-At-Sandrigham (1)

"And if the government won't help the people of Norfolk and Lincolnshire and Cambridgeshire, will they do it in the memory of the late Duke of Edinburgh, who spent so much of his time at Sandringham, just six miles away?

"This would be a fitting memorial for him that the hospital is rebuilt in his name."

Eastern Daily Press: Bill Borrett, Norfolk County Council cabinet member for adult social care.Bill Borrett, Norfolk County Council cabinet member for adult social care. (Image: Submitted)

Bill Borrett, the council's cabinet member for adult social care, said Penny Carpenter, the chairman of Norfolk Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee had written to health secretary Matt Hancock and the nine Norfolk MPs about the QEH.

He added: "Personally, I have called for government to provide the funds to sort out the problem and as a partnership we will continue to support the trust in their case for the QEH to be one of the further eight new or part new hospitals by 2030.

The EDP has launched a Rebuild The QEH campaign. That includes a petition to show Mr Hancock the strength of support for a new-build hospital.

You can sign it here https://tinyurl.com/7n7z5j67.