Town MP Mike Hill welcomes support from Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen on returning services to the University Hospital of Hartlepool

Labour MP Mike Hill has welcomed a pledge made by Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen to reintroduce services if he is re-elected.
The University Hospital of HartlepoolThe University Hospital of Hartlepool
The University Hospital of Hartlepool

On Wednesday, January 22 he was shown around the site by leaders of the hospital trust and saw the work of the Urgent Care and Minor Injuries Unit and 22-bed Holdforth Unit that provides nursing care and rehabilitation for the elderly.

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Now MP Mr Hill has said: “I very much welcome the comments and the recent visit made by Ben Houchen in support of hospital services in Hartlepool.

“Since I was first elected in 2017, I have campaigned to not only stabilise services, but to bring services back, chief among which must be maternity and A&E services. We have started to see that happen with maternity where I’ve campaigned on the right to be born and registered as such in the town.

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“Dementia care has been a subject close to my heart for a long time, and it has to be properly funded, with the public sector best placed to deal with it. I have been pushing for Hartlepool to have a centre of excellence for a long time now, and any support to achieve this end from the Mayor is welcome.

“As the rumour that a proposed housing development on hospital land is back on the cards, I also look forward to working with the Mayor to resist attempts to develop anything other than genuine health sector buildings on that site, complementing the hospital and freeing up vital bed space.

“I look forward to Ben Houchen joining us in Hartlepool on the upcoming march for our Hospital an sitting down with him to discuss a joint plan on these vitally important issues.”