New Doncaster hospital snub from Government despite visits from PM and Health Secretary
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Government announced a list of 40 projects which include new sites and repairs worth around £3.7bn.
The borough had seemed to be in the running for a new site to replace the 100-plus year old Doncaster Royal Infirmary, especially after Health Secretary Matt Hancock visited the site at the request of Don Valley MP Nick Fletcher.
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Hide AdThe snub has prompted anger from Doncaster’s two Labour MPs and elected mayor Ros Jones who said: “Local Tories need to explain why this government has let down the people of Doncaster.
Tory MP Fletcher said he was ‘feeling deflated’ but there was a chance to bid in the second round of funding for a further eight hospitals.
In a joint statement issued on behalf of the three Labour politicians they said: "We are deeply disappointed that Doncaster is not on the list of new hospitals just announced.
“During the election and after, Boris Johnson and Matt Hancock came to our area and made all sorts of promises to Doncaster people. Now, we discover these were empty promises.
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Hide Ad“We will fight on for the new hospital that Doncaster needs and will be arguing strongly for Doncaster Hospital to be included as one of the remaining eight unannounced projects."
The list of new hospitals include Watford, Reading, Milton Keynes, Basingstoke, Manchester and Poole.
Commenting on the news, Conservative MP for Don Valley Nick Fletcher said: “I was really hoping that Doncaster would be on that list but unfortunately, we’re not. I’m feeling a little deflated myself at this moment.
“I’ve been told we should be bidding for one of the additional eight hospitals and these will really be something special which is what we want for Doncaster.
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Hide Ad“I’ll be speaking to the chief executive of DRI (Doncaster Royal Infirmary) and the chief executive of Doncaster Council and all the other stakeholders. I’ll be working to put something together myself.
“I will be asking for meetings with Matt Hancock (Health Secretary) and it’s something I feel that Doncaster really, really needs and something that it deserves.”