AN MP has welcomed the Health Secretary’s announcement this week that Derriford Hospital’s new A&E – urgent and emergency care unit – will be one of the first hospital buildings to begin construction between 2025 and 2030.

The Chancellor threw the future of Derriford's new A&E into doubt with the announcement of the New Hospital Programme Review shortly after Labour came to power last July.

Patients across South West Devon and the wider South West have been deeply concerned by this move, writing directly to Rebecca who raised a petition lobbying the Health Secretary and questioning him in the Commons.

Rebecca said: “I am pleased after playing politics with our NHS for six months, the Government has finally relented and agreed to honour its manifesto commitment to fund Derriford’s new A&E. I have campaigned relentlessly to save the project since elected – this is a huge win for Plymouth and the surrounding area.

“We cannot tackle NHS wait times without first getting a grip on the queue of ambulances outside of Derriford’s A&E. It never should have been delayed in the first place, and I urge the Government to now work at pace to make up for lost time.

“I would like to thank the almost 1,000 locals that signed my petition to pressure the Government into making the right call. It is only with your support that I have been able to demonstrate the strength of feeling locally and make the strongest possible case to government.”

Last October, Rebecca tabled a petition to protect A&E funding at Derriford Hospital in the House of Commons. It also details that Derriford received £25.2m in 2023/24, committed by the last Conservative Government. Earlier this month she piled pressure on the Government in the Commons to fully fund Derriford Hospital’s new A&E.