Hospital wards are ‘similar to a prison’, says Oxfordshire MP
Oxfordshire Lib Dem MPs are calling on the government to “fix crumbling hospitals”
Five Oxfordshire MPs are urging other MPs in the region to vote for a Liberal Democrat motion in Parliament which is calling for the creation of a ‘crumbling hospitals taskforce’.
Olly Glover, Layla Moran, Calum Miller, Charlie Maynard and Freddie van Mierlo say it will “help fix the area’s decaying NHS buildings which are in desperate need of repair”.
"Similar to what I saw at a prison”
During opposition day debate in Parliament this afternoon, the Lib Dem motion will call on the Government to reverse its decision to delay the New Hospital Programme, which has seen 18 of the 40 projects pushed back from the original 2030 deadline.
It also calls for a crumbling hospitals taskforce, which would help fix the ‘crumbling’ NHS estate.
Henley and Thame MP, Freddie van Mierlo says it’s an opportunity to “hold the Government’s feet to the fire” and put pressure on ministers to speed up the fixing of crumbling hospitals.
He is calling for upgrades to Warneford Hospital in Oxford as well as the Royal Berkshire Hospital which is used by many residents in South Oxfordshire.
Mr van Mierlo said: “I’ve heard from countless patients and staff who are really worried about the impact on local healthcare. No one should have to worry about crumbling roofs or dilapidated buildings when they are being cared for in hospitals.”
The Liberal Democrat MP also says the Warneford Hospital is “similar to what I saw at a prison”.
He said: “There are rooms without windows, rooms with quite poor furniture and rooms that are cold and inappropriately heated, much similar to what I saw at a prison.
“When I said this to one of the staff members. They said, ‘Freddie, why do you think I showed it to you?’, because they want politicians to see just how bad the state of facilities for delivering care is within the county.”
We have contacted the Department of Health and Social Care for a comment.