It’s critical ??

Hello,

Five years ago, Boris Johnson promised to transform North Manchester General Hospital. The Crumpsall site, which has some of the oldest buildings in the NHS, has been likened to ‘a 19th century workhouse’.

But the plans have now been called in for review by the government and no firm commitment has been made, meaning years after the government’s commitment, patients and staff are still waiting.

North Manchester General Hospital?

Now, the Manchester Evening News is calling on the government to commit to the urgent rebuilding of the hospital. Staff tell of problems ‘every single day’ caused by the ageing estate – and money is being used just to keep buildings functional, effectively just to ‘stand still’.

There are promising plans for the site - but the need for redevelopment goes far beyond the buildings. It has the potential to be the catalyst for change in one of the most deprived neighbourhoods in the country, writes our health reporter Helena Vesty.

She makes the case for transforming North Manchester General to help tackle health inequalities in north Manchester - something health experts believe is the ‘holy grail’ to solving many of the other issues we face.

“It could drastically improve lives in an area where people die younger and live in ill health longer - an area where people lose a decade compared to those in other parts of the country,” Helena writes.

Plans for the site could turn it into an innovative health campus, with a new, fully-modernised district general hospital with a refurbished A&E, walk-in centre, labour wards, operating theatres, x-ray and outpatients facilities, as well as education hubs and wellbeing hubs.

But despite millions poured into the development and repeated pledges, work has yet to begin.

We say enough is enough. The people of Manchester deserve better. You can help by signing our petition in which The Manchester Evening News calls on Wes Streeting to commit to fully funding the new hospital, and prioritise the rebuild for 2025

Please sign our petition and pass it on to your friends and family.

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Weather etc

Wednesday: Overcast. 15C.

Roadworks: Temporary traffic lights due to gas main work on A560 Stockport Road near B5465 Edgeley Road. Expect delays.

Manchester headlines

• Courts: An NWAS worker who tried to murder her boss has been jailed for 20 years. More here.
• Bolton crash: A man has died after being struck by a Jaguar when the driver 'lost control while overtaking another vehicle'. More here.
• ‘Tent city’: Parts of another ‘tent city’ that has sprung up outside Manchester Town Hall is being dismantled by council officers after a previous camp was removed months ago. More here.

Worth a read

In what has been hailed as a ‘landmark’ case, the UK’s first AI paedophile was jailed for 18 years yesterday. But how did a young man from Bolton who has been described as ‘shy’ and ‘gauche’ become a serial online sex offender? ? Nicole Wootton-Cane has the full story of Hugh Nelson’s crimes here.

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