Our Chief Executive, Matthew Trainer, joined Romford MP Andrew Rosindell to meet Health Minister Karin Smyth MP, making the case for the £35million needed to transform our A&E at Queen’s Hospital.

On Monday (9 June), the Minister heard about the inadequate layout of the department, which often means patients are cared for in corridors. The A&E was built for 325 patients a day two decades ago but now often sees more than double that.

Matthew said:  

I am grateful to Andrew for championing Queen's hospital and arranging this meeting with the Minister, and to all our local MPs who have ensured we’ve had cross party support since we launched the campaign for funding at the start of the year.

It was good to talk the Minister through the challenges our staff and patients face. She understood and recognised the strength of the case we’re making, particularly in light of how we’ve improved our A&E wait times in the last few years. Despite this, many patients are still experiencing waits which are far too long.

We understand there is a lot of pressure on NHS capital budgets across north east London and the rest of the country. But we’ll continue to explore all options to find the money to create a department we think our staff and patients deserve.

Andrew Rosindell MP added: 

I was pleased Matthew was able to accompany me to the long-awaited meeting with Karin Smyth, Minister for Health, to plead with the government to release £35million in funding for the desperately needed A&E redevelopment at Queen’s Hospital. We explained that, despite the best efforts of the amazing team at Queen’s, the existing department is simply unable to cope with increasing numbers of patients. This funding would allow the hospital to rapidly begin work on revamping the A&E, undoubtedly saving lives by cutting unacceptably long waiting times and ending the appalling practice of patients being treated on trolleys in corridors.

I am relieved the Minister promised to explore new ways in which this project could be funded. I urge her to come back to us as quickly as possible so work on this vital project can commence in the coming months. I will continue to support the campaign for a new A&E at Queen’s in any way I can for as long as it takes to secure the necessary funding so that the people of Romford, Havering and wider area are able to access the best and fastest possible NHS services they rightly deserve.

Responding to a question from Mr Rosindell in the House of Commons on Thursday 12 June, following the announcement of a 3% increase in funding for the NHS in the Chancellor’s Spending Review, Karin Smyth MP said the situation in our A&E was unacceptable and that Matthew and Mr Rosindell had made an excellent case.

She added:

I hope that he will welcome the extra measures in this settlement.

We will continue to work with all local systems to deliver the best care possible for all our constituents.

Pictured top are (l-r) Andrew Rosindell MP, Health Minister Karin Smyth MP and Matthew Trainer at the meeting.