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MP’s fury over £40M ‘plucked from the sky’

12/12/2006

A ROW has broken out over figures submitted to the Making It Better panel.

About 150 people at the public meeting were told Rochdale Infirmary had capacity issues and was landlocked, making future development difficult.

The Pennine Acute Trust, which runs hospitals in Rochdale, Oldham, Bury and North Manchester, estimated developing the site would cost in excess of £40M.

But Rochdale MP Paul Rowen said no mention of the sum had ever been made and questioned its validity.

He said: "The sole reason they refused Rochdale's case was because the Pennine Acute Trust said '£40M was needed to provide additional services in Rochdale'.

"I believe these figures have been plucked from the sky. - £40M would be for an extra 1,000 births a year, the equivalent of three a day.

"If you assume that every new mother stays in for three days, they would have to provide an extra 10 beds, which means £4M per bed.

"This is nonsense and I have asked for a detailed breakdown of how they have arrived at that figure.

"Phase 1 of the Infirmary cost £25M, so how on earth they arrived at this figure is beyond me."

Tom Wilders, director of strategic planning at the Trust, said: "It was a difficult decision.

"The £40M figure is an estimate and not easy to make, but the Rochdale site is difficult to develop."

Mr Wilders said the figure was taking into account issues such as the need to compulsorily purchase land, as well as capital costs at the Infirmary.

He said: "We were asked for information about the costs and provided it.

"The decision will be a blow to staff on the unit and is very sad."