Leader of Buckinghamshire Council Martin Tett has cast doubt on an incoming Labour government ‘investing’ in local NHS services.
Martin Tett warned of ‘limited resources’ that could hamper repairs to Wycombe Hospital in reply to a message from a Bucks resident about issues with running water at the site last month.
Joanne Smalley, who told the Free Press she had been “gobsmacked” to find “no running water” at the hospital while visiting her father on June 20, asked Mr Tett for an explanation on the “years of underinvestment” she said was indicated by the “water storage issues”.
Replying to her on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, the council leader said: “I look forward to any future Labour government’s pledge to rebuild Wycombe Hospital, but I won’t be holding my breath.
“All governments are limited by the resources in the economy.”
Emma Reynolds, Labour’s general election candidate for Wycombe, told the Free Press the NHS was “a very big priority” for her party and said she would “secure more investment” in the town’s hospital including transferring services from its tower into a new building.
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It comes after Bucks Council approved the removal of cladding from the tower block last week, with dozens of tiles stripped from the 1960s building to prevent falling and causing injuries or damage.
The tower – which houses an intensive care unit and operating theatres – has a repair backlog totalling £80 million with issues including ‘water ingress’ from failed guttering and blocked drainpipes. There is also a backlog of £20 million linked to the rest of the hospital site.
A spokesperson for the Buckinghamshire NHS Trust said there had been “an issue with the water in some parts of Wycombe Hospital” last month.
They added: “The safety of patients and staff is our main priority and experts advised us to fit filters to taps and showers as a precautionary measure to provide a protective barrier and ensure the water is safe to use.
“Unfortunately, due to the age of our estate, we could not fit filters to all of our taps and showers. In these areas, we have provided alternative water sources.
“We are in the process of carrying out the necessary repairs and are very sorry for any inconvenience this may have caused.”
The trust pays £2 million a year towards monitoring the building’s safety and safely delivering clinical and care services.
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