WARRINGTON North MP Helen Jones has called for greater transparency over plans to move Warrington Hospital to a new ‘state-of-the-art’ site.

Proposals to move the hospital from its present site on Lovely Lane were outline by Warrington and Halton Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust chief executive Mel Pickup during a meeting of Warrington Borough Council’s health scrutiny committee last month.

But differing accounts of the meeting have been given in the aftermath – Mrs Jones has claimed that the hospital will be moved south of the Manchester Ship Canal but Ms Pickup has denied that she suggested this.

Mrs Jones has now called for greater transparency over the proposal and has questioned why it was not mentioned in sustainability and transformation plans for the NHS in Cheshire and Merseyside, which were revealed last year.

She said: “I am increasingly concerned at the lack of transparency shown by health bodies in Warrington in relation to proposals to move the current Warrington Hospital.

“Moving the hospital to a location south of the ship canal would have an enormous impact in the most deprived areas in my constituency and would have a profound effect on wards such as Birchwood and Culcheth, Glazebury and Croft.

“A plan to move Warrington Hospital was not included in the recent sustainability and transformation plan and it is fair to ask why it wasn’t mentioned and how long these proposals have been under discussion.

“Four councillors from the committee have confirmed a plan to move Warrington Hospital was discussed.

“As a result, criticism has come from a number of NHS bureaucrats yet my message is simple – MPs are meant to stand up for their constituents and that is exactly what I will continue to do.”

Ms Pickup said that moving the hospital had not been mentioned in sustainability and transformation plans as the plan only covers the five-year period up to 2021, while creating the ‘state-of-the-art’ site would take ‘many years’.

The hospital chief executive also reiterated that no locations have yet been considered for the new site.

She said: “I reiterate my original statement that now is the time to consider planning for a new state-of-the-art modern hospital for the people of Warrington and Halton.

“No specific new locations have been considered at this time.

“A new hospital is not in the five-year forward view plan for Cheshire and Merseyside as it is valid to 2021.

“Consultation and business cases for a new hospital will take many years but if we don’t start the debate then we will not be able to make the vision become a reality.”