MP's concern over 'shoddy' Roseberry Park Hospital

Repair work is ongoing at the hospital, which opened seven years ago

Middlesbrough's MP has voiced concern over a "shoddily-built" £75m mental health hospital.

Roseberry Park in Middlesbrough, which opened seven years ago, has suffered problems with its roof, plumbing, and fire safety system.

Andy McDonald, Labour MP for the town, says poor construction is to blame.

Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust said the safety of its patients and staff was its priority and major repairs were being carried out.

About 50 people have already been moved to a hospital in Hartlepool while work is carried out block by block.

Andy McDonald has blamed the problems on poor construction

Mr McDonald said: "It is a substandard, shoddily-built building which has got fundamental construction problems.

"You do start to wonder that if you get into tens of millions of pounds of remedial work to put it right whether it would be better to build another one."

The building contractor, Laing O'Rourke, said it was already undertaking remedial work, and was "committed to reaching agreement with the trust" so that additional works could be "progressed in a timely manner".