At Stockport’s Full Council Meeting on Thursday, Liberal Democrat councillors voted in favour of a motion supporting the expression of interest in funding for a new hospital building to replace some or all of the buildings at Stepping Hill.
As the motion was not considered until the guillotine fell at the very end of the meeting there was no time for a proper debate and no opportunity to try to improve the motion with an amendment to add some much-needed caution.
Speaking after the meeting, Cllr Helen Foster-Grime, Lib Dem shadow cabinet member for health matters, said: “The Liberal Democrats warmly welcome the possibility of long overdue investment in Stepping Hill Hospital. But residents need to be under no illusions that the funding available nationally is a tiny drop in the ocean compared to the estimated £6.5bn backlog maintenance bill and, even if this bid is successful, it will take many years before any new facilities are opened.
“We have many concerns about what these proposals mean for the already-planned emergency care campus or whether this will mean some services get moved outside of Stockport altogether. We have already seen far too many broken promises from this Conservative government and our National Health Service simply remains chronically underfunded. Add to this the huge waiting lists and increased pressures from our overburdened GP practices with patients turning to Stepping Hill in crisis, there’s no question emergency care support for Stockport is vital.”
Liberal Democrat Councillors continue to fight for more resources for Stepping Hill and for Council support to help the local residents, patients and their families facing exacerbated parking problems at and around the hospital.
