Opinion: 'This Government is investing in Peterborough and have shown yet again they believe in our potential', writes MP Paul Bristow

​The Secretary of State for Health and Social Care announced that Peterborough City Hospital will get an extra £12.5 million.

This cash will be used to convert office space on the fourth floor of the hospital into two 36 bed wards.

The investment is part of the Government’s plan to provide 900 new beds in hospitals with a £250 million funding across the country.

This will relieve winter pressures on the NHS.

The extra 72 beds is an increase in capacity of over ten per cent for Peterborough City Hospital. This will help treat patients more quickly and reduce waiting times across the city.

Over the past twelve months, I’ve surveyed almost every household in my constituency and the need for extra capacity at our hospital came through loud and clear.

That is why I have been pressing Ministers down at Westminster.

Together, we achieved this, and I am delighted at this fantastic news.

I want to congratulate hospital management for everything they’ve done to secure this money.

This Government is investing in Peterborough. They have shown yet again they believe in our potential.

We’ve had so much investment in the last couple of years, and it’s obvious that we are a city on the up!

Our local NHS reinstated IVF services. We have a record number of Police officers across Peterborough and Cambridgeshire. We have brand new schools in the city.

Our Station Quarter redevelopment is receiving £48 million to create a new gateway into our city and the whole of the East of England.

The University has received over £34 million which includes a brand new state of the art research hub.

We received £23 million to regenerate our city centre from the Government Towns Fund.

Then on top of all of this we are getting a brand new community diagnostics centre along with extra beds at our hospital.

The Government are investing in Peterborough and investing in our NHS. The new diagnostics centre and extra beds are going to cut waiting times, help treat patients quicker and ultimately save lives. In addition to all of this investment, just last week it was announced that Frasers are moving into the old John Lewis unit in Queensgate.

It’s not just the Government that see our potential and are investing in Peterborough, private businesses are backing our city again!

I am constantly talking about how great our city is, regardless of those who try to talk our city down.

We’ve had well over £150 million of new investment across our city, there are exciting projects in the pipeline and we are being backed by businesses.

2023 has been a good year for Peterborough. We are a city on the up and we have a bright, exciting future.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​