MP Expresses Disappointment Over Hospital Site Response
Surrey Heath MP Dr Al Pinkerton has expressed disappointment with Sir Keir Starmer's reply regarding the proposed location for a replacement hospital in Surrey.
During Prime Minister's Questions on Wednesday, Dr Pinkerton raised concerns about the suitability of the proposed site for the new Frimley Park Hospital, which is planned to be located at Pine Ridge Golf Club. He described the site as inappropriate and called for an independent review of the decision.
In response, Sir Keir Starmer criticized Dr Pinkerton for advocating for a new hospital while opposing its construction at the proposed site. Starmer highlighted that it was "thanks to Labour investment" that Frimley Park would be among the first hospitals in the UK to be rebuilt.
Following the exchange, Dr Pinkerton wrote a letter to the Prime Minister stating that the response did not address the "substantive concerns" he had raised.
Starmer's Statement in the Commons
In the House of Commons, Sir Keir Starmer said:
"His hospital, thanks to Labour investment, is at the front of the queue. It will be one of the first in the country to be rebuilt. But his approach has been on the one hand to demand a new hospital, and then oppose actually building it. He has urged his constituents to oppose it because, this is his quote, 'If the hospital goes ahead, there will be no golf course'. Labour is building new hospitals, and the honourable gentleman is standing up for golf courses...I can't think of anything more Lib Dem."
Work on the new Frimley Park Hospital is expected to begin in 2028 or 2029.
MP's Letter to the Prime Minister
In his letter, Dr Pinkerton clarified that his opposition was not about preserving the golf course nor opposing the construction of a new hospital. Instead, he emphasized that the proposed site is "fundamentally unsuitable" due to concerns about "transport and accessibility" and the potential destruction of part of the historic Frimley Common.
"This has never been about a golf course...nor is it about opposing a new hospital."
He expressed disappointment that the Prime Minister's response at PMQs did not engage with these substantive issues and stated that his constituents "deserved answers, not political point-scoring."
Dr Pinkerton also raised questions regarding transparency about the project's finances, the cost of the works, and the integrity of the site selection process. He questioned whether alternative sites had been adequately considered by the Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust.
He urged the government to pause the site selection process, commission an independent review, and publish the evidence supporting the decision to select Pine Ridge Golf Club and the surrounding land as the hospital site.
Official Responses
The BBC has contacted Number 10 for further comment on the matter.
Lance McCarthy, Chief Executive of Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust, stated:
"A new Frimley Park Hospital will mean safer buildings, modern facilities and an environment that helps our staff deliver the very best care."
Additional Information
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