Lib Dems have revealed that over £79.5 million is needed to fix crumbling hospitals used by Solihull residents.
Solihull hospital alone needs over £15.2 million to clear its backlog of repairs and maintenance with Heartlands Hospital needing an even higher sum of £64.3 million. The figure for the University Hospitals Birmingham (UHB) NHS Trust as a whole is almost £200 million.
This shocking news comes as the total funding needed for hospital repairs across the country reached a record high of £11.6 billion - up over £1 billion on this time last year.
It also comes as the NHS budget was slashed by a further £5 billion in real terms following the Conservative Government’s Autumn Statement. At the same time, people waiting for vital surgery and treatment are near record highs at 7.7 million.
Solihull and Meriden Liberal Democrats are calling for the government to provide urgent investment in local hospital buildings to ensure they are safe and can function effectively.
Councillor Ade Adeyemo, Liberal Democrat Candidate for Solihull West and Shirley, said:
"This Conservative government has let our community's hospitals fall apart. The backlog of repairs is putting the patients and staff in Solihull at risk, on top of existing risks caused by NHS staffing shortages. This is completely unacceptable and it is utterly disgraceful that the Conservative Government has sat back and allowed this to happen.
“People in Solihull deserve to know that they can go and get the treatment they need in a safe environment and not have to worry that they are being treated in a place that is collapsing around them. Our much-loved NHS workers deserve a much better environment for them to work in and care for their patients.
"The Conservative Party cannot be trusted with our NHS and cannot even be trusted to ensure the basic safety of staff and patients.
“Their neglect of our local health services is unforgivable”.
The Solihull and Meriden Liberal Democrats represent Liberal Democrat Members, Volunteers, Campaigners, Councillors and Candidates within the Local Authority area of Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council, and the two Parliamentary Constituencies of Solihull and Meriden.
Liberal Democrats in Solihull and Meriden have a long record of action for the community, fighting hard for local residents on issues that are important to them.
