Derriford Hospital A&E LIVE as Wes Streeting Updates Parliament Today

Plymouth: So, there’s been a lot of chatter about Derriford Hospital lately. Last year, folks were worried that the Conservative’s New Hospital Programme might be in trouble after Labour took over. This raised eyebrows about the new Urgent and Emergency Care Facility at Derriford.

Health Secretary Wes Streeting didn’t hold back, saying the program promised by the Tories back in 2019 is “undeliverable and unaffordable.” That’s a pretty big deal! In September, the new government said they’d take a closer look at the whole New Hospital Programme, which left many wondering about Derriford’s future.

They mentioned that 20 projects could move forward without a hitch, but the remaining 25, including Derriford, were still up in the air. This uncertainty has really got people worried, especially patients. South Devon MP Rebecca Smith even started a petition to protect Derriford’s funding.

Streeting visited the hospital earlier this month and promised to find a solution to the challenges they’re facing. His visit came after Plymouth Moor View MP Fred Thomas urged him to see the situation firsthand. Thomas had an “eye-opening” night shift in A&E, where some patients were waiting a whopping 29 hours for a bed!

Today at 4:30 PM, Streeting is set to make an announcement about the programme in the Commons. Keep an eye out for live updates!