Health Secretary urged to release funds for £420m Brighton hospital revamp

All three political parties in Brighton and Hove have united to urge the government to release the money so that work can start on the revamp of the Royal Sussex County Hospital.

A unanimous vote instructed John Barradell, chief executive of Brighton and Hove City Council, to write to Health Secretary Andrew Lansley.

Council leader Bill Randall said: “We are all indebted to Duncan Selbie (the hospital chief executive) for his commitment and hard work.

“On behalf of the city we urge Andrew Lansley to release the money as soon as possible so work can begin on this hospital.”

Councillor Gill Mitchell, leader of the opposition Labour group, said: “In 1820 a young architect called Charles Barry designed a new hospital for Brighton.

“I think he would be shocked to find it was still serving this city today.”

The all-party support was for a notice of motion which said: “This council notes that the Royal Sussex County Hospital has stood within this city for almost 200 years, serving the residents of and visitors to Brighton and Hove alike, as well as patients from across East Sussex and West Sussex and beyond.

“The majority of the buildings are widely recognised to be desperately outdated, some in fact presaging Florence Nightingale herself, and in need of urgent modernisation.

“This council therefore welcomes the proposed investment in and redevelopment of the Royal Sussex County Hospital, which will provide not only state of the art facilities befitting of 21st century healthcare, but also greatly improve the quality of experience for patients and their visitors, which is so important to their treatment and recovery.

“Such a major redevelopment of the hospital will also bring investment into the local area and create much needed jobs through both the construction of the scheme and through new medical services provided on the site.

“Council notes also the council’s planning committee in granting consent to the planning application which voted unanimously that they were minded to grant planning permission on 27 January.

“Council therefore requests the chief executive to write to the Secretary of State for Health to confirm the council’s unequivocal support for this vital regeneration of the hospital, and asks that the secretary of state confirm his wholehearted support for the scheme and early confirmation of the funding required thereby securing its timely delivery.”