Campaigners call for new specialist hospital

A rebuild of Kettering General Hospital is planned, but has now been delayed until at least 2032

A retired surgeon and a former council leader are calling for a new specialist hospital for Northamptonshire.

They have submitted the idea to Health Secretary Wes Streeting, who invited suggestions to improve the NHS.

The call comes after last week's announcement that the long-awaited rebuild of Kettering General Hospital had been delayed until at least 2032.

The Department of Health and Social Care has been contacted for a response.

The search for ideas for change in the NHS has attracted several rogue suggestions, including firing Mr Streeting from a cannon to raise funds and serving beer on tap in hospitals.

But the proposal for a new specialist hospital for Northamptonshire is a serious suggestion from former county council leader Jim Harker and retired surgeon Robin Lee.

They believe the existing general hospitals in Northampton and Kettering are unable to expand to reflect a growing population.

Under the proposal, Northampton General Hospital would keep its accident and emergency facilities

Mr Lee, who specialised in ear, nose and throat surgery, said: "They're both landlocked sites; they're very old sites; the services are disjointed.

"Neither hospital, in my opinion, is fit for purpose - we really do need to have a brand new site where we can put all the services together."

He added that he could not see "any point in trying to build up Kettering General on the current site".

Mr Harker led Conservative-controlled Northamptonshire County Council from 2005 to 2016

Mr Harker, the Conservative leader of Northamptonshire County Council from 2005 to 2016, said the existing Northampton and Kettering sites would become "really good quality community hospitals taking urgent care, A&E [and] maternity".

A brand new hospital would then provide "elective surgery, where people have to stay for many nights, where visitors will be able to visit easily [and] park free".

Mr Harker suggested the new facility would be located between Northampton and Kettering, perhaps on land at Sywell, which would be cheaper than a town centre site.

Mr Lee said a new hospital would help with recruitment as it has been hard to encourage medical staff to take jobs at the sites.

The plan has been submitted to the health secretary, who has not responded so far.