Continuous campaigning and support has lead to consideration of hefty funding.
Built in 1938, St Helier has been a central hospital, saving and assisting the birth of lives, in and out of the community. However, the hospital’s continual survival is reliant on constant campaigning and support to up heave and confirm the due funding, subjugated by Jeremy Hunt.
It has been a laborious campaign, spanning over 25 years, where during that time there has been disastrous speculation of the closure of the hospital which was fought off successfully. Fortunately, such consistency has lead to St Helier to be 3rd hospital, who may be given priority to receive funding, for the refurbishment and facelift of the hospital.
Parts of the building are off limits to patients due to crumbly walls, lifts in hospital are too small to fit hospital beds thus long routes have to be taken by the A&E department staff before seriously injured patients can be helped, which can be life-threatening as time is wasted. Moreover, parts of the building are not waterproof for which the money will hope to rectify this and provide an extra 20-30 years of stability.
Tom Brake has passionately expressed the need for the community to sign the online petition to secure the 400 million due to the hospital. Where, this funding would secure an excess 200 beds, with private areas, in Epsom and St Helier hospital. However, the remnants of the money could be used to either build a new acute hospital in Sutton or rebuild areas of St Helier or Epsom hospital- this has yet to be decided.
