Mr. Lansley was shown the sites by Conservative Parliamentary Candidate Harriett Baldwin, who discussed the need for a new hospital in Malvern with Mr. Lansley. He also met with members of the Malvern Town Council, Ralph Madden, Roger Hall-Jones, Mike Soley, Paul Tuthill and Pat Merrick, who is Chairman of the League of Friends. Serena Croad, Leader of the Conservative Group on Malvern Hills District Council was also there with other Conservative District Council candidates to show their support for the business case for a new hospital.
Later Mr. Lansley had a private meeting with Dr. Bryan Smith, Chairman of the Worcestershire Primary Care Trust.
Harriett Baldwin said, "I am delighted that Andrew Lansley was able to see Malvern hospital for himself and hear the business case for the new hospital. All of us hope that the strong business case will be accepted by the Strategic Health Authority and that Malvern may benefit from some of the money being allocated by the government for community hospitals. "
Serena Croad said, "We all want to see a new community hospital in Malvern - Wychavon have helped to deliver a new hospital in Pershore. I am glad that the District Council candidates are here to meet Andrew Lansley and to understand the partnership that is needed between District Council, Primary Care Trust, the League of Friends and national government to deliver what people want."
Andrew Lansley this week discovered in the answer to a parliamentary question that 85p in every £1 spent by the government since 1997 on new hospitals has been spent in constituencies with a Labour MP.
Commenting on the figures, Mr Lansley said: "Four in every five of Labour's new hospitals have been built in the constituencies of their own MPs. Meanwhile, ministers are holding secret meetings with Labour Party officials to target up to sixty hospital cutbacks on the constituencies of Conservative and Lib Dem MPs."
Photo: (Top) Andrew Lansley MP, Shadow Secretary of State for Health, visits Malvern Hospital. (Bottom) Harriett Baldwin shows Andrew Lansley the Seaford Court site for the potential new hospital in Malvern.
