Red carpet offer for Lord Markham

On Wednesday 8th March at 1pm the community action group ‘Save Our QEH’ are making a cheeky open public invitation to Nicholas Markham, minister now heading up the hospital rebuild programme.

Campaigners have made a life size cardboard cut-out of ‘Lord Markham” the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department of Health and Social Care. His portfolio includes the hospital rebuild programme. They’ll be rolling out the red carpet for the cut out to show Markham what a warm welcome he’d receive if he did deign to visit the most propped up hospital in the UK in person.

The purpose of the event is to persuade Lord Markham to attend the QEH. He has been invited by the hospital to attend but to date has not taken up the invitation. As the most propped up hospital in the country we believe that it is important that he sees the reality and seriousness of the situation for himself.

With the Chancellor’s Spring budget fast approaching, this may be the community’s last chance to highlight the QEH need as a priority.

One of the local hospitals rebuild campaigners, County Councillor Rob Colwell said “Lord Markham was appointed in September last year as the latest minister who will apparently make the decision on any rebuild. He hasn’t been to the QEH, he hasn’t seen the struts, he hasn’t met the patients, doctors or nurse that are all having to put up with this. We want him to see the seriousness of the situation and regardless of the horrendous delays in a decision, he will be very welcome. We will roll out the red carpet out for him!”

Local Trades Council secretary, and independent borough councillor, Jo Rust, explained “while our campaign group believes that we’ve had enough of ministers coming to our hospital for yet another photo opportunity, we do understand the need for those unconnected to our local area, to see for themselves the extent of the problem. We’ve seen minister after minister come along for a photo and nothing has happened as a result of that so far. But maybe a visit from Nick Markham will be different. We’re prepared to give him the benefit of the doubt and say, you’d be welcome. Please do come and see exactly why we’ve been campaigning for nearly two years to get funding for a new building”.

Dr Pallavi Devulapalli, local GP, has said “The QEH is in a desperate situation. Further delay from the government at this late stage is unacceptable and will not be forgotten by the people.”