Despite physiotherapy staff requesting the inclusion of a hydrotherapy pool
– and even offering to raise the money to pay for it themselves – it has
not been included in the business plan for Lichfield’s new hospital. And
constituents trying to find out for themselves about developments with the
new hospital are unable to do so: 18 months on, the Burntwood Lichfield and
Tamworth Primary Care Trust website is still not up and running with the
message that it is ‘being developed’. After being contacted by
constituents, Michael Fabricant has now written to Alan Snuggs, Chief
Executive of the Trust, asking whether the inclusion of a specialist
hydrotherapy pool can be reconsidered.

"A modern community hospital with a physiotherapy department does normally
have access to a pool within the department and should not require patients
with walking difficulties to travel to other hospitals. Given that I am
told that most of the funding could be raised locally, I hope that the
Trust will reconsider their decision not to include a pool." says Michael
Fabricant. "Meanwhile, we still await Government funding for the rest of
the hospital!".