Stepping Hill Hospital

Lisa Smart Excerpts

Tuesday 10th November 2026 Commons Chamber

[Lisa Smart (Hazel Grove) (LD)]

My hon. Friend is absolutely right: what we saw on our visit was harrowing. He talks about value for money and how over £100 million is going on just maintaining the buildings as they currently stand. That is literally plugging holes in the wall. I am sure he agrees that a better use of the money would be to spend capital on building a new additional site in Stockport town centre. That would free up space on the site that is no longer fit for purpose and would be a much more sensible, value-for-money way to spend the money.

[Mr Morrison]

I thank my hon. Friend for bringing that idea forward. Yes, absolutely; I will talk later about how a new site in Stockport could alleviate the stress on Stepping Hill and save the Government a lot of money.

Stockport NHS foundation trust is clear that the £134 million would be over and above any Government funding already allocated. The trust simply cannot make the efficiency savings being asked of it when it is firefighting each day. I want to tell the House what this looks like and how this firefighting impacts the day-to-day lives of the staff and the patients they look after.

On our visit, nurses told me of the huge issues they face regarding infection control. There are genuine concerns that the outdated and inefficient building makes infection control even harder. Beds are too close to each other and people are unable to move around within a safe distance of each other. Parts of the site predate the NHS and, as such, the corridors are so small that two wheelchairs or trolleys cannot go past each other. Shockingly, the hospital has only around 20% of the side rooms it needs to isolate infectious patients, and in the electrocardiography zone there are no handwashing facilities. The nurses told me that during covid, they had to create massive one-way systems through the wards, making care and movement even more complex. That was a logistical challenge at a time when the NHS was already being tested to breaking point.

The building itself is also dangerous. On the visit, I was shown the relentless water damage and leaks across the estate. When it rains, staff race around the hospital putting out buckets to catch the water dripping through the ceiling, sometimes on to vital equipment.

Ward and shower rooms have become completely unusable because of leaks, which have further reduced capacity. I have seen wards where sewage comes up through the drains, meaning that nurses have to clean up rather than look after the patients they should be tending to. The glass windows in the cardiology unit are at a huge risk of falling out, posing a serious safety risk.

Clay pipework from 1905 is still in use and leaking, meaning that escaping steam is rotting the floors beneath. Some floors are now physically sinking. As I entered the building, I saw that the hospital’s café was closed for that very reason—I could actually see where the floor was beginning to slope down. Scaffolding is literally holding up the glass ceiling in the main entrance— a worrying welcome for patients entering the building.

--- Later in debate ---

[Lisa Smart]

As my hon. Friend the Member for Cheadle (Mr Morrison) said, any money coming to Stepping Hill hospital is to be welcomed, and the Government should be thanked when they get things right. The briefing we have had from NHS leaders in Stockport says that the total planned maintenance costs over five years are £134 million. That is only basic maintenance—it does not account for any new building projects and does not bring the buildings up to the current standard that we would expect of any new building. I am sure that the Minister agrees that all the money needs to be spent for good value for money. Will she and colleagues in the Department of Health and Social Care agree to look specifically at the project we are talking about for Stockport: a new building? The revenue cost of maintaining that building would be so much lower than continually plugging the holes—literally—with capital spend.

[Alison McGovern]

I understand entirely the case that the hon. Lady makes. There will be further opportunities for the region to fund projects at Stepping Hill hospital through its estates safety fund allocation. As I mentioned in response to the hon. Member for Cheadle, I urge the trust to keep working closely and effectively with the ICB and the region, particularly as other funding streams are available. The trust has been allocated another £75 million in operational capital over the next four years.

Before I get too close to the end of my remarks, let me respond directly to the other questions asked by the hon. Member for Cheadle. He mentioned issues with toilets, which sound extremely worrying; from the Floor of the House, I urge local leaders to respond. I will make sure that he and Stockport Members receive a written response to those issues and to those related to end-of-life care. Members will understand the importance of end-of-life care and what a priority it is over the coming months and years for us all, so I will look into those issues.