Last week George Osborne MP announced in his Budget that the Government is allocating £2million to a new children’s emergency and trauma department at the University Hospital in Southampton, news that the Island’s MP has welcomed.
The allocated funding will go towards the hospital’s £4.8 million investment needed to bring units that treat seriously ill children into one location, providing specialism and expertise in paediatrics The hospital plays a vital role in health services, not only for the Isle of Wight, but also across the South Central and South West regions. Seriously ill children, and adults, arrive by air and road all year round, every hour of the day to the University Hospital, Southampton to receive treatment.
Andrew Turner has said:
“This is extremely welcome news for the Island’s children and their parents. At the moment children are being treated in an area that was originally designated for adults with minor injuries. University Hospital, Southampton provides very good services, but it has been clear for quite a while that further investment is needed in order to improve its facilities. There has been vigorous campaigning and lobbying for the Government to fund this initial investment which is absolutely crucial to realise the project.
“There is still a lot of work that needs to be done, and the project now needs to raise a further £2 million. Like many people on the Island, I will be supporting the campaign so that the Island’s children to get treatment to the highest standards possible.”
The hospital has already allocated £800,000 in funding and it is now up to the Murray Parish Trust and Southampton Hospital Charity to raise the remaining £2 million to match the Government’s contribution.
Featured photograph: AIS/University of Southampton
