Health Secretary urged to visit crumbling hospital

Parts of the Stepping Hill Hospital site date back to 1905

The Health Secretary has been urged to come and witness the "appalling" state of a crumbling Greater Manchester hospital after the government refused to foot a £130m repair bill.

Stockport Council has invited Wes Streeting to visit Stepping Hill Hospital, which has faced a series of issues including collapsed ceilings and flooded corridors.

Council leader Mark Hunter said the century-old hospital's condition was "beyond a joke" and it was "disappointing" to see funding requests turned down due to financial constraints.

A Department for Health and Social Care spokeswoman said the government recognised the importance of investment to "get the NHS back on its feet".

"As well as vital reform, we will ensure the NHS has the funding it needs as we build a health service fit for the future," she added.

More than half of the hospital, originally built in 1905 as the Stepping Hill Poor Law Hospital, is in need of major repair, according to a recent structural report.

Below standard

The necessary repairs have been priced in the region of £134m.

But health minister Karin Smith said the government could not afford to help fund the repairs due to the "constrained" position of public funds.

She responded to a letter by local Lib Dem MPs Tom Morrison and Lisa Smart, urging the government to step in.

Hunter said the poor state of the hospital had been an issue for Stockport for some time.

"We’ve all been through Stepping Hill, it's hard to find anyone who has not been grateful of their care, but the fabric of the building is beyond a joke," he said.

A Lib Dem motion amended by Labour councillors was recently passed by the council urging the health secretary to prioritise repairs at the hospital.

Hunter said he was calling on Mr Streeting to "come and see how bad things are".

"We’re not asking for special treatment," he said, adding that Stockport deserved "facilities that are up to standard".

Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham said relocating the hospital might be better than "propping it up" in its current location.