“I have to use this place, it’s a shame”

I visited this hospital, I saw how decrepit it is…

THE Manchester Evening News campaigns for government action to the urgent rebuilding of North Manchester General Hospital (NMGH). And patients who know this hospital all too well are sharing their stories to prove just how desperate the situation is.

It's five years since Boris Johnson pledged to transform NMGH, which has some of the oldest buildings in the world. NHS. The situation on the ground has reached an intolerable point, with conditions comparable to those of a 19th century workhouse.

Some operating theaters were forced to close for weeks after ceilings collapsed, others had to close due to poor ventilation which could have increased the risk of infection. Clinics for pregnant women had to be moved due to visible mold on the walls due to leaking roofs.

Yet we STILL don't know when the crucial work to rebuild the hospital will begin. Health Secretary Wes Streeting had suggested the redevelopment would continue, with plans ready to go, but these projects have now been subjected to a spending review by the government and no firm commitment has been made.

The MEN has launched a petition calling on Wes Streeting to:

And campaign supporters are starting to share their experiences. Andrea Harris commented on the change.org petition saying: The Conservative government made promises for an NMGH upgrade and failed to deliver.

Keith Marchant said the reason he signed the petition is: Because I visited this hospital. I saw how run down it is. We need to update and improve hospitals like this.

Supporter Dawn Richardson agreed, adding: I have to use this hospital and it's a shame.

A place where people lose a decade of their lives

There is no indication the hospital would close, but the need for redevelopment is critical. Staff talk every day about the problems caused by the aging estate and money is used only to keep the buildings functional, in fact just to stand still.

But this redevelopment goes well beyond simple new buildings. Plans are ready to go that would transform the hospital into an NHS center of excellence and bring desperately needed change to one of the most deprived areas in the country.

Tackling health inequalities is the “Holy Grail,” according to health experts, who say this investment could really make the dream come true: creating jobs and housing, and helping people with heart disease. long time to find work. It could dramatically improve life in a region where people are dying younger and living longer in poor health, a region where people are losing a decade compared to those in other parts of the country.

The comprehensive plans would transform the aging buildings into a healthcare campus. It would include:

• A new, fully modernized District General Hospital, with a renovated emergency room, walk-in center, delivery rooms, operating theaters, x-ray and outpatient care facilities, where care and treatment are closely integrated with community services and supported by cutting-edge digital technology. remote systems and monitoring

• An educational hub to attract, train and develop the best doctors, nurses and health workers in the region.

• New housing that could include worker housing, social housing and acute care for those who are not sick enough to be hospitalized and not well enough to stay at home.

• A wellbeing center to provide community care and support with a cafe, allotment gardens and village green

• Shops and offices that would boost local businesses and employment

But despite repeated promises, no government has ever fully committed to funding the work or setting a date for its start. We say this must change: hospital bosses need an urgent green light for work to begin in 2025.

And MEN readers have already shown their support. A social media user said rebuilding the hospital would set a great benchmark for change for a Work government in a Labor area like north Manchester.

While Richard Scarborough said on change.org: Manchester needs this funding to create a hospital fit for purpose.

Dying patients must be transferred to open wards, buildings cluttered with dangerous concrete

The saga has begun when Boris Johnson visited NMGH in 2019 and promised a total rebuild from the Crumpsall website. The then Prime Minister said the plans would cost, I think, around €500 million, adding: It will cost a lot of money, but we have to start.

We have the funds to do it, we will make them available, because I think it is the number one priority of the British people.”

Hospital bosses drew up plans and preparatory work began, with millions of dollars invested to prepare for construction. But not all of the money was paid.

In the meantime:

• The lack of single rooms means dying patients must be transferred to open wards due to demand for isolation spaces for infectious people.

• Consideration should be given to which patients can be placed on wards on upper floors as they need to be mobile in the event of fire evacuation.

• Many buildings are plagued by dangerous RAAC concrete

In 2023, Conservative peer Lord Nick Markham, responsible for building 40 new hospitals, has pledged to Manchester Evening News construction would begin in 2025 and be completed in 2030. But again, the hospital did not receive the necessary funds to get started.

Before and after the general election, Wes Streeting pledged to support the multi-million pound plans for North Manchester. But last month Mr Streeting apologized and said the plans needed to be reconsidered as part of the government's spending review on new hospitals.

Just last week, the Minister of Health and Gordon And Denton MP, Andrew Gwynne refused to say will the hospital get all the funds promised to be able to operate as planned in 2025? Meanwhile, buildings are falling apart and it is becoming increasingly difficult for staff to provide the care they want.

“They actually work in a 19th century workshop”

Enough is enough. The people of Manchester deserve better. You can help us by signing our petition and pass it on to your friends and family.

Graham Stringer, MP for Noirley And Middleton South, pledged its support to the Manchester Evening News campaign, saying: “The case for North Manchester is absolutely overwhelming, both on health grounds, North Manchester has some of the worst health outcomes of the country, but also for employment reasons. At this level, I simply cannot believe that any other hospital in the country has the same needs and potential benefits as North Manchester. There can't be many.

“They actually work in a 19th century workshop. [The government is] This will clearly delay some. They should not delay North Manchester.

Apart from everything, work is underway. We don't want to disrupt that. There is a cost to delay

“What worries me is that if you don't have bulldozers, if you don't have shovels on the ground, you still risk this not happening. It's great that the Evening News is running a campaign and I strongly support it.

Please, if you do one thing to make a difference today, sign our petition.