Valerie Celebrates New Walsall Urgent Care Centre After Campaign Since 2014

After a campaign and lobbying the Government since 2014, I am delighted to see that the Walsall Urgent and Emergency care centre is open. The new two-storey development at Walsall Manor Hospital will significantly improve emergency care facilities and capacity, and it will offer almost 5,000 square metres of additional clinical space. 

This is a long awaited project and I made repeated efforts since 2014 in order to secure this vital funding for Walsall Manor Hospital:

Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust 7 January 2014

The impact on the Manor hospital in Walsall has been immense, as the hon. Gentleman said. We have already had to open 70 beds, as well as attempting to open two wards. The hospital desperately needs £40 million. I have raised this matter frequently with the Minister. I should be grateful if the hon. Gentleman took that on board in his summing up and if the Minister looked at the Manor hospital—he has visited it, although I was not there when he did—to ensure that it gets the funds that it desperately needs, having taken the impact of the closure of accident and emergency at Stafford hospital.

NHS Debate 5 February 2014

Many Members will know from their own hospitals that patients are suffering from delayed discharge. I have seen that first hand at Manor hospital after the closure of the accident and emergency department at Stafford hospital, where perhaps the relationship with local government is not at the same stage as it is with the local authority in Walsall, for example, and it takes longer to discharge patients. We are still waiting for the £4 million that is needed because we have had to take the strain of the closure at Stafford hospital.

Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust 2 June 2015

Will the Secretary of State ensure that other local hospitals, such as the Manor hospital, which have had to take up the slack following the closure of A&E and maternity services also get some support?

Health Secretary Hunt: We absolutely will take a whole health economy view of that, and look at all hospitals that are affected by the changes.

NHS Major Incidents 28 January 2015

The Manor hospital had to declare a major incident due to inordinate pressure from the closure of Stafford A and E. That is not a local issue, but a national one. When will the Secretary of State provide the hospital with the extra money to absorb the closure of Stafford A and E?

Health Secretary Hunt: I can reassure the hon. Lady that we have provided a huge amount of extra money to deal with the problems in the wake of what happened at the former Mid Staffs Trust. We are continuing to give every support we can to Walsall and Stoke and other trusts. We have more doctors and more nurses and major changes are happening. The problem in Mid Staffs went on for four long years, and we do not want to wait that time before sorting out the problems.

I wrote to the then Secretary of State Rt Hon Jeremy Hunt MP in January 2015 to advocate for and secure the crucial A&E funding. I also wrote to the then Prime Minister in September 2018 to secure additional funding for Walsall Manor Hospital. I met with the then Minister of State for Health Steve Barclay MP in October 2018 to discuss the Manor’s application.

I would like to congratulate everyone involved in delivering this long awaited project to its completion. The A and E when it was first built was not large enough for the increase in patients both from the local community and the wider Black Country. It is a tribute to the previous Chief Executives of Walsall Manor, Richard Kirby and Richard Beeken. It is good to hear that patients who have used the new Urgent and Emergency Care Centre are pleased with the facilities.