Hospital Services (South Manchester)
Debate between Jeff Smith and Philip Hollobone(9 years, 2 months ago)
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Jeff Smith
My hon. Friend makes an excellent point. Clearly, Wythenshawe was the public choice for a specialist hospital.
On working together, which I was just talking about, there is clearly a growing and improved relationship between Wythenshawe and the Manchester Royal Infirmary. Some people see that as a concern, but I think that it is very much to be welcomed and we need to see it as an opportunity.
In south Manchester, we have the opportunity to be an exemplar of partnership working. We have two fine hospitals in Wythenshawe and the MRI, which are on either side of my constituency. My constituency also houses the excellent—and, I believe, underused—facilities at Withington community hospital, which was established under the last Labour Government. I look forward to an expanded role for Withington community hospital in health provision in south Manchester, supporting the two major hospitals and providing joined-up services for all our communities.
We have an opportunity to use Withington community hospital to integrate community services, primary care, secondary care and mental health support, with health services and social care services working together for the benefit of all the community in Manchester Withington and the whole of south Manchester. I urge everyone involved to make the most of that opportunity to expand and improve services at Withington community hospital.
I agree with many comments that hon. Members have made about the Healthier Together process, but I welcome the opportunity to use all those hospital resources together—to use Withington as a thriving community hospital to improve health outcomes for people in south Manchester.
Mr Philip Hollobone (in the Chair)
Before I call the Front Benchers, I should say that we are going to have the pleasure of hearing Mike Kane sum up the debate for three minutes at the end. I would be grateful if the Front Benchers would be kind enough to leave him enough time to do that and if he would be kind enough to leave me 30 seconds at the very end to put the motion to the Chamber.