Croydon University Hospital officially saved after Labour campaign

Croydon University Hospital is off the closure list

NHS bosses have taken Croydon University Hospital off the closure list after a Labour campaign to save it.

Labour’s Save Our Hospital campaign

The hospital had been at risk of closure under plans drawn up under the direction of Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt. Labour pledged to scrap the plans at the general election and in Croydon North the Labour-led Save Our Hospital campaign contributed to an increased majority for Labour’s Steve Reed.

In July ministers wrote to Steve to suggest services at the hospital were still at risk.

Plans reversed

Now NHS bosses have updated their plans, saying they have ‘listened to local people, our partners, politicians and experts’ and decided that ‘the plans were not realistic in the context of the resources available’. As a result, Croydon University Hospital is no longer under threat.

The new plan also highlights the crisis facing the NHS under the Tory government, stating:

• There is a ‘lack of funding’ from the Tory government
• Local people are concerned about the quality of services
• There is ‘low confidence’ in local mental health services

Steve Reed MP said:

Croydon University Hospital should never have been under threat. Thanks to Labour’s campaign and the backing of thousands of residents in Croydon we’ve been able to keep the hospital open.

The new plans carry a big warning that Croydon’s NHS is still seriously underfunded. After cutting money to Croydon and handing it to Surrey, the Tory Government refuses to invest in our health services.