Two North East MPs clashed during a debate in Parliament today on provisions for hospitals in the Tees Valley.
Jill Mortimer, Conservative MP for Hartlepool started by thanking all the staff from Teesside’s three main hospitals; University Hospital of North Tees, University Hospital of Hartlepool and the James Cook.
She also referred to her son who is a student nurse at one of these hospitals.
Ms Mortimer explained that, although positive change was taking shape in certain areas of Teesside, there was still plenty of work to do.
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She said: “Whilst we have had some welcome new additions to provisions in the Tees Valley for example, the new diagnostic and mental health care hubs in Stockton, in light of the state of disrepair at North Tees Hospital, we are still in need of improved hospital facilities.
“The Trust and the wider Tees Valley is experiencing severe challenges in terms of its current estate capacity, and is not suitable for the needs of the population it’s serving over the next 10-20 years.
“For example, there is a significant volume of elected surgical procedures performed within the private sector due to a shortage in resources in our own NHS Trust.
“It is my contention that the University Hospital of Hartlepool could fulfil this provision gap and is under-utilised in providing services to the people of the Tees Valley.
“Not only can it play a great part in delivering these services in general, but it can also take some of the pressure off other hospitals currently undergoing renovations.
“It can do both these things with a relatively low amount of investment.
“It should also be pointed out that Hartlepool Hospital, in its heyday, not only served the people of Hartlepool, it served all the communities north of the Tees.”
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Alex Cunningham, Labour MP for Stockton North gave the impression he was less than impressed with Ms Mortimer’s concern over NHS provisions and the mention of her son being a student nurse at one of the main Teesside hospitals referenced.
Alex Cunningham, Labour MP for Stockton North said: “I congratulate her (Jill Mortimer’s) son on his role in the NHS.
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“It was her (Jill Mortimer’s) Government that cancelled our new hospital 13 years ago without a plan for future health delivery, and recently the health minister, in his place, wrote to the Labour candidate for Hartlepool, Johnathan Brash, turning down the funding as a centre of excellence in the town, despite cross-party support for it, including from the Conservatives in Hartlepool.
“Has she any thoughts on how we might change the minister’s mind and deliver for Hartlepool and wider Teesside?”
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