Anger over Labour plan for “massive downgrade” of Southport Hospital

The recent news that Labour want to replace Southport’s Hospital with a new “Super Hospital’ 23 miles away in Skelmersdale has met with an angry reaction from Lib Dems in Southport.

Under the Labour Plan (as reported here https://www.otsnews.co.uk/put-southports-ae-skem-says-labour-chief/ ) the current Southport and Formby General Hospital would be massively downgraded to a ‘hospital for the elderly’ and rehabilitation.

“This is an absolutely appalling proposal,” says John Wright, Lib Dem Parliamentary candidate for Southport.

“Labour claim that Southport has ‘excellent highway links’ to Skelmersdale via Switch Island but that is a 23 mile, 40 minute journey. The idea that the 120,000 or so people who live in the Southport and Formby area should have to make a 23 mile dash to get to their nearest A&E Department is simply unacceptable.”

“I appreciate that a number of senior Labour councillors represent various parts of Skelmersdale, so they obviously feel this is a good plan for their residents there. The problem is that it is a disastrous plan for the people of Southport and Formby.”“And as for Labour saying that all Southport needs is a ‘hospital for the elderly’, I really think they must be living on a different planet.”

“What we need in Southport is a top-drawer hospital, with a wide range of core services. The Lib Dems will fight for that. We don’t want it anywhere else – certainly not 23 miles away.”

Southport Lib Dem councillor Pat Keith also voiced her concern, saying: “This Labour proposal would be disastrous for the people of Southport. We have an opportunity to get a much more comprehensive hospital service here in Southport, including the return of a Children’s A & E and a maternity unit, but Labour are already arguing the case for it to go elsewhere. It’s very disappointing”.