Why we urgently need a new hospital in King’s Lynn and West Norfolk

Thanks to our local community, partners and stakeholders for getting behind our bid for a new hospital - here’s a video produced by ‪@TheTimes‬ which explains exactly why we need to secure funding to build a new hospital. Our patients and staff deserve nothing less.

[@helenpettey7737]

I had my baby in this hospital 22 years ago. I couldn’t have been treated any better, the staff on the maternity unit really looked after me. I really hope the hospital gets the repairs it needs

[@dalebenton3354]

Last time I stayed in that QE Hospital in King's Lynn,Was over 10 years ago,When I had an abscess removed from my mouth,I had to stay in A and E for 3 days,It was very borning,All I did most of the time was lay there and sleept a lot of the time,Glad to get home,I can't stand Hospitals,Bad enough,Can't remember any ceilings what had any wood across them,They are now days,Did see some other week when I went back to the QE hospital after I fell and smashed my head on the ground after had a seizure,Still recovering from my cut,Not a good time at work that morning,The rest of the Morning I was in A and E having my blood test taken,Also hate needles as well

[@dalebenton3354]

Cambridge is a bit closer,At least there a Train goes that way as well from King's Lynn,Work out cheaper,Thats if the QE Hospital in King's Lynn get to the point where it have to close,Driving to places now days will cost a fortune,There is no Trains from here to Norwich

[@walkwithmeASMR]

This should be an immediate priority. You shouldn't have to make a video to make your case.

[@buk3695]

the tories have other priorities

[@dalebenton3354]

what about the new Buildings outside the old Hospital,They also be gone by 2030 ??? them buildings been up for about 10 maybe 15 years,Do they leak as well when it rains ??? building things out of rubbish building supplys wont last long,I'm so surprised the main part of the hospital lasted this long now coming up 40 years and half the Schools around the UK and other Hospitals,I even done building work before,Built houses,Flats,The things we used where half decent and made to last a long time,Some of the news been watching,Concrete is good enough to crumble up,Ive seen cheap cement being stonger than that

[@christinehubbard5617]

The main problem with this hospital roof is a total lack of maintenance. Basically rain water has been allowed to get onto the RAAC plank roof construction causing it to crumble. Any flat roofing system requires better regular maintenance than a conventional roof, hence your problem here. Obviously the problem will continue to get much worse as time goes by because the damage has already been done. Basically the problem wasn’t addressed when when it was first noticed. The durability of this excellent fire resistant (RAAC) material will outlast many other materials but, only if kept dry. Any roof structure will fail if allowed to get wet, hence the need for tar, felt, fibreglass, slate and various other materials that provide waterproofing to the main roof structure. Spending 860 million on a new build is total madness, you wouldn’t rebuild a house just because it requires a new roof. I was actually involved in the building of a new hospital back in 1980 using the same type of materials without any issues. Building a new hospital is a great way to push for further votes by politicians but please, don’t post leaflets through my door stating that the main QEH building was only built to last until 2010 because that’s utter nonsense

[@christinehubbard5617]

Adding further to this I’m happy to provide evidence to anyone who doubts what I’m saying. Last summer Hancock paid a visit to the QEH, he basically stood in an upstairs ward with a couple of other guys who basically didn’t seem to know anything about buildings, looking up at some wooden prop’s on the ceiling. If only he’d have looked out of the window he could have witnessed exactly why those prop’s were in place. Weeds and even small trees growing from totally blocked drainage gullies stopping any rainwater from escaping. One flat roof area I witnessed last year looked more like a paddling pool or a fish pond than a flat roof after a shower of rain. I’ve never seen such a poorly maintained flat roof as the one on the QEH and due to its total lack of maintenance I’m surprised it’s lasted as long as it has. A new roof, some new windows to replace those horrible alloy framed ones and some air conditioning maybe, Surly that won’t come to 860 million. Maybe they could even get someone to sort out the rat problem outside of the McMillan ward where the staff and public eat their snacks and don’t dispose of their food correctly.

[@teamqeh]

Hi Christine, thanks for getting in touch. RAAC is a nationally recognised issue affecting schools and hospitals across the country. QEH is very far from being the only hospital affected. RAAC issues were identified relatively recently in 2019 when the collapse of some RAAC concrete planks in schools led to a national focus and the introduction of a standing committee to look at the structural safety of RAAC buildings. Once the NHS became aware of RAAC issues and these were identified at a number of Trusts across the country, action was taken to look at how RAAC could be eliminated from NHS estate. There is a Government commitment to eradicate RAAC from NHS hospitals by 2035. QEH has been working to maximise the safety of QEH since the national alert was issued and has always worked hard to ensure high standards of maintenance across our estate. National experts have been very clear that QEH’s end of life date is 2030. Within the QEH estate RAAC is an extensive issue, affecting more than 80% of the hospital including the walls as well as the roof. We now have more than 1,500 steel and timber support props in 56 areas of the hospital. This is almost three times more props than beds and we are the most propped hospital in the country. A new hospital is the only solution to these issues.

[@christinehubbard5617]

@@teamqeh I’m not disputing that the Roof structure doesn’t need replacement, far from it but, had it been maintained properly you wouldn’t have been experiencing the current issues. Any roof structure will fail, more so timber if it’s allowed to get constantly wet every time it rains. As I tried to explain before it’s the roof coating that’s failed and that’s purely down to lack of maintenance. This 860 million will almost definitely run into a much higher figure. Totally wasted money that could be put to better use. The main building structure of the QEH is excellent, So why demolish it because it requires a roof and a few other updates. If your builder gave you a quote to demolish and rebuild you an entire new house just because your existing one required a new roof I’m sure most of you would question it. Council money, government money, wherever it comes from, it’ll be from your pockets at the end of the day.

[@christinehubbard5617]

I didn’t really expect anyone to agree with me on this issue because many people who listen to the academics seem to think that by building a brand new hospital it will solve everything. Adolf Hitler once said that if you tell a lie and repeat it often enough people will believe it. This is exactly what’s happened with the QEH by stating that it was only built to last a limited time. Rumours among folk will always spread easily especially if they’re bad or false ones. Yes, you can bang on all day about inferior building materials and spread false rumours but, I’m more than happy to meet anyone who doubts me on site so as I can back up what I’ve written and point out the REAL issues with the QEH structure. BTW, all flat roofs have a life span, normally this would be 20/30 years. Please don’t confuse this lifespan with the structure of the complete QEH hospital building. The 20 to 30 year lifespan on the QEH roof coating has been totally ignored causing the need for many prop’s supporting a ruined waterlogged roof structure. = Typical lack of maintenance

[@teamqeh]

@@christinehubbard5617 Many thanks for your comments Christine. We are making information about our proposals and the evidence supporting them available on our website at www.qehkl.nhs.uk/tell-us-what-you-think.asp and will continue to add to this over the coming weeks and months as more information becomes available.

[@eclkwrig2020]

You get what you vote for!

[@romeomarks8344]

It’s a shame that don’t look safe where all our taxes go then

[@emanueldiogo2606]

!

[@angelachanelhuang1651]

health workers in AMERICA make a lot

[@emanueldiogo2606]

Hi

[@christophergrimes12]

King's Lynn should have had a new hospital years ago because the hospital is way past date all because of crap concrete

[@jackiemarini3203]

How awful for the ppl in the hospital sick .

[@pepperroni6252]

Hospital is typically where sick people go

[@MelissaG31]

St Andrews hospital 🏥 Melissa golby 11,2992 happy birthday ✨️ Peter pan flying out on staday

[@carlalloyd8892]

This is absolutely one of the worst things I’ve seen in a hospital! If any other housing was like this it would be deemed unsafe to live it!!!!!!😡

[@carlalloyd8892]

Where have our governments morals gone?….and on a respiratory ward?..( as one?)Those poor patients and staff!😞😡

[@teamqeh]

Thank you for your comment. Please know we are as frustrated as you are that we are yet to receive positive news that we have secured the much-needed funding for a new hospital we very much need. We hope to hear good news about being selected for the Government’s New Hospital Programme soon and rest assured we will continue to press our case on every front. Our case is extremely strong and demonstrates we can deliver a new hospital by 2030 when our current hospital reaches end of life.

[@dalebenton3354]

really,So no more QU Hospital in King's Lynn in the year 2030,Its not really been up that long,I was born there back in 1978 in the old part of the QE Hospital,Can just about remember the new part of the QE Hospital was being built sometime in the early 1980's,Used to be land there before,Ive been in King's Lynn all my life,Problem is,They make all these buildings out of rubbish cheap building supplys,If they where start building places in top expensive building supplys,Nothing like this will ever happen,Buildings would last for years,Last for centuries,Thats tax payers moneys saved more than wasted

[@angelachanelhuang1651]

retirement is easy in AMERICA

[@citizen3000]

This is what you get when you keep voting Tory. Enjoy it.

[@angelachanelhuang1651]

it's easier to find work in AMERICA. Good luck with housing