Health Secretary Sajid Javid was on Merseyside today and we took the opportunity to ask him about a rather controversial government advertising campaign in our region.
People were somewhat aghast last week as new signs were put up around Liverpool, promoting the government's flagship 'Levelling Up' agenda. The signs chose to highlight the hugely delayed and massively over budget new Royal Liverpool Hospital project as a key example of what Levelling Up means for Liverpool.
People were quick to call out the 'cheek' of the messaging, considering the city's new hospital was supposed to be open back in 2017 and remains unfinished five years later. The project was hugely delayed by the collapse of construction giant Carillion. It is hoped it will finally open to the public later this year.
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The signs, which carry HM Government branding, states: "Levelling up means a new Royal Liverpool Hospital." An image of the sign was posted on twitter by the ECHO's executive digital editor Steve Graves, who commented on 'the cheek' of the claim - and many others responded in agreement. Others accused the government of 'gaslighting' the city.
Mr Javid was in St Helens today to speak with NHS staff and during a conversation with the ECHO, we asked him if he understood why the government messaging had rubbed people up the wrong way. He did not address the issue of the advertising signs directly but said he could understand people's frustrations over the hospital.
Responding, Mr Javid said: "I can understand the frustration of people in Liverpool, I would be just as frustrated as them if I had been waiting for years for something as important as this. After the collapse of Carillion, the government has been getting on with the job, the hospital is scheduled to open later this year which is clearly an important moment."
The Health Secretary added that he believes 'Levelling Up' is also about more than just building new hospitals. He added: "It is also about investing in existing hospitals and existing services and that's also what we have been seeing in St Helens today in terms of cancer services."
Mr Javid was hugely complimentary of the staff members he met in St Helens, who have continued to deliver vital cancer services despite the huge disruption of the pandemic. He said: "I have been looking at some of the fantastic work they have been doing here in St Helens on cancer services during the pandemic. It's incredibly impressive and the staff here could not have done more.
"They have managed to keep meeting and treating patients at an incredible rate and are one of the best cancer services in the country. The last two years will have easily been the most challenging period for anyone in the NHS and what I have seen from the staff in St Helens today has been quite incredible."
