Writing in this week's Redditch Standard (December 8th), Rachel said:
“Last Friday I opened the brand-new £18.8 million operating theatre complex at the Alexandra Hospital.
Not only does this latest investment demonstrate this Government’s commitment to our hospital and to our NHS, but it puts to bed one of the false claims I often see being spread on social media.
This false claim is that the Alex can’t continue to grow and expand. That is now demonstrably untrue following the opening of the multi-million-pound operating theatre complex.
The operating theatre complex, which houses two theatres, staff changing facilities and a dedicated theatre recovery space for patients, is a purpose-built extension to the hospital.
False claims about our hospital do not help anyone, which is why my focus has always been on securing investment in the Alex and tackling problems, rather than creating problems that don’t exist.
Speaking of securing more investment, the operating theatre complex is one of a number of recent investments in the Alex which also includes a £3.9 million expansion of endoscopy services, a brand-new Breast Imaging Unit, state-of-the-art robot-assisted surgery and of course the return of the Garden Suite Chemotherapy Unit.
As well as that, new data out just last week shows that we’re also seeing staffing numbers heading in the right direction to support our campaign to return a maternity and children’s service to the Alex. Figures from NHS England show there are now more doctors and nurses working for our Acute Trust, which runs the Alex, than when I was first elected.
And we’re going to build on that progress with Government funded places for UK students at the University of Worcester’s Three Counties Medical School. From next year, we will be training the next generation of NHS doctors here in Worcestershire. I believe this will only help in our campaign to return services to the Alex.
Challenges of course remain, but as you can see there is a lot to be positive about.”
