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Hospital in marginal Red Wall seat only added to rebuild list after MP meets Matt Hancock

Shotley Bridge was not on original list before North West Durham MP Richard Holden lobbied former health secretary

A hospital in a marginal Red Wall constituency was added to the Government’s flagship hospital building programme after Matt Hancock met the local Tory MP.

Ministers unveiled the New Hospital Programme in 2020 to fix the NHS’ “crumbling” estate and promised 40 new buildings by 2030.

Durham’s Shotley Bridge Hospital was not among the original list of sites selected for the national programme, which was supposed to focus on those most in need.

But after Mr Hancock, the then health secretary, met with Richard Holden MP – a former media advisor for Boris Johnson – in September 2020, the hospital was added to the list without explanation, the Health Service Journal reported.

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