Hillingdon Council urges government to stand by promise to deliver vital Hillingdon Hospital

Leader of the Council, Cllr Ian Edwards, has written to health secretary Wes Streeting expressing deep concern over his letter to MPs last month indicating that the provision of the new hospital was to be reviewed by the government. 

In that letter, Mr Streeting said the New Hospital Programme was "undeliverable and unaffordable" with Hillingdon Hospital, which received planning permission in January last year, one of 25 projects to be reviewed. 

Cllr Edwards, in his letter to the health secretary, said: "This has caused significant concern among the residents of Hillingdon, who have been eagerly anticipating the much-needed improvements to our local healthcare facilities. 

"It is no secret that the current Hillingdon Hospital is in urgent need of modernisation to meet the growing demands of our community." 

Cllr Edwards points out that during a visit to the hospital in June this year, Mr Streeting commented that it was "the worst hospital I have ever seen as shadow health secretary, indeed as a member of parliament." At the time, Mr Streeting added: "Staff are working in intolerable conditions, patients are sweltering in intolerable conditions." 

The new hospital, which received the assurance of full funding by the previous government, promises to provide state-of-the-art facilities in new buildings and enhanced patient care for local people for generations to come. 

Cllr Edwards added: "You backed this during your visit on 26 June by saying 'I'm making a commitment today that the next Labour government will deliver the modern state-of-the-art hospital that the people of Hillingdon need. And we will do it in the first term of a Labour government'. 

"The decision to review this project, with no consultation, not only delays these critical improvements but also undermines the trust of Hillingdon residents in the promises you have made to them regarding the hospital. 

"I urge you to reassure our local community that you are indeed a man of your word and that the commitments you made regarding the construction of the new Hillingdon Hospital in the first term of a Labour government will be honoured."

Read the  letter from Cllr Edwards to Mr Streeting (PDF) [144KB].