The Royal Stoke University Hospital is one of the hospitals set to benefit from the Prime Minister’s announcement yesterday of a £1.8 billion capital investment in the NHS. University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust (UHNM) has been granted £17.6 million to create three new wards, increasing the amount of acute beds available at the Royal Stoke hospital by 84.
Welcoming the news, Jack Brereton, Member of Parliament for Stoke-on-Trent South, said,
“This is fantastic news for the whole of the healthcare system in North Staffordshire. The shortage of acute beds at the Royal Stoke has been a continuous problem since the new hospital was built, causing backlogs in the whole system, especially during winter.
“This money is exactly what our local hospital needs, and is something which both the Trust and I have been campaigning on for some time. I am delighted Ministers have now listened to our calls for this investment in our local NHS.”
Tracy Bullock, University Hospitals of North Midlands Chief Executive, said,
“We are delighted with today’s capital investment announcement from Department of Health and Social Care to help improve capacity and patient flow at our Royal Stoke University Hospital site.
“UHNM is one of the largest NHS trusts outside of London and Royal Stoke is one of the busiest in the country with constant pressure on our beds.
“This investment will provide us with the flexibility to bridge the expected winter bed gap while helping us and our system partners to develop alternative models of care to ensure patients who are fit to leave hospital have the care they require in the community.”
