LABOUR’S shadow health secretary has recommitted the party to rebuilding the Royal Berkshire Hospital if the party wins the general election – but says he wants to under promise now.
Wes Streeting was a guest on BBC Radio Berkshire’s breakfast show this morning, where he said the investment in a new hospital was “desperately needed”.
“I want to give patients and NHS leaders the confidence and stability of knowing that is there is a Labour government after the next general election we’re not going to junk that (rebuilding) programme and, unlike the Conservatives, we will actually deliver it,” he said.
On when work would start, he wouldn’t be drawn on a date as he said the party needed to look at the current supply chain, and had seen a hospital in his own area delayed.
“I’m going to have to open the books and take a good look at where we are, and then give the public clear expectations of when these projects can be delivered,” he said.
“I don’t want to overpromise before an election then underdeliver. I’d rather be a bit more cautious and under promise now and aim to overdeliver after the election if we are privileged enough to be in government.”
Mr Streeting said there were more than 33,000 people on waiting lists in Berkshire.
“To deal with that backlog, we’re going to deliver 40,000 more appointments every week at evenings or weekends through extra clinics, that’s £1.1 billion investment.”
Some of this will go on new technology that will help with diagnostic tests and scans, and some will go on working with the independent healthcare sector.
“That represents a serious plan, we’re ready to hit the ground running on day one,” Mr Streeting said. “That gives me the confidence to tell you that not only are we better prepared for the challenge than we were in 1997, we will be able to make progress so fast that we can get waiting times down to the 18-week NHS standard within the first term of a Labour government.”
He also pledged to come and visit the Royal Berkshire Hospital.
“If the hospital wants me to visit ahead of the general election, I’d be happy to make space and come down and take a look.
“If Labour wins the general election, I will absolutely come to the Royal Berkshire, and work with hospital leaders to make sure we deliver the new project they deserve.”
