King’s Lynn hospital has bright future says health minister

Health minister Jeremy Hunt says Lynn’s Queen Elizabeth Hospital “has a great future” but it won’t be receiving any extra funding.

Mr Hunt visited the Gayton Road hospital on Thursday to see the progress being made since it was placed in special measures two years ago.

He said: “This hospital has a great future. I think people should be really encouraged when they see the motivation and commitment of the management and staff to make this an outstanding hospital. It has very bright days ahead.”

But the minister will not be pouring any extra funding into the hospital, which is forecast to be £14.9 million in the red this year.

Mr Hunt said: “We do give support to hospitals in deficit. Everyone has to live within their budgets and we expect all hospitals to have a plan in place to eliminate their deficit in time as we are trying to do with the country as a whole.”

n The hospital is asking for people suffering with diarrhoea or vomiting to stay away for 48 hours before visiting the site. Home-made food is also not allowed.