Stephen Metcalfe MP welcomes that the Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust is set to receive an additional £4,838,000 of funding to upgrade A&E facilities ahead of this winter. The South Basildon & East Thurrock MP met local NHS Trust Chief Executive Clare Panniker this week to discuss how the extra funding announced by the Prime Minister will help upgrade hospitals, accelerate hospital building and expand A&E facilities.
The extra £4.8 million means that Basildon and Thurrock University Hospitals will be able to increase its A&E capacity, put enhanced infection prevention and control measures in place and make improvements to emergency care and urgent treatment services.
Across England, the Government is providing £300 million to A&E departments, with work to be completed by the start of next year so hospitals can benefit from the upgrades during the peak of winter.
The funding also comes on top of the additional £3 billion that the Prime Minister recently announced to help prepare the NHS for the winter months ahead.
Stephen Metcalfe said: “Staff at Basildon and Thurrock Hospital have worked tirelessly over recent months, and I would like to thank them for everything they have done to get our local community through the coronavirus pandemic.
“While we hope for the best this winter, its right that we plan for the worst. This funding to upgrade A&E across the Trust will ensure that we are in the best possible position for the challenges that the winter months may bring.
“Protecting the NHS is my top priority and I am pleased to see the Government getting on with doing exactly that”.
The Prime Minister, Boris Johnson said: “We continue to deliver on our promise to build back better and faster, with £300 million allocated today for NHS trusts to upgrade their facilities and improve A&E capacity.
“These upgrades will help our fantastic NHS prepare for the winter months, helping them to deliver essential services and reduce the risk of coronavirus infections.
“Thanks to the hard work and tireless efforts of NHS staff throughout the pandemic, our A&Es have remained open for the public.
“It’s vital that those who need emergency treatment this winter access it, and for those who remain concerned about visiting hospitals, let me assure you that the NHS has measures in place to keep people safe.”
