St Helens North MP David Baines visited Fairfield Independent Hospital on Crank Road, the only private hospital in St Helens, on Friday, October 3.
He commended the 28-bed facility, now operated by Circle Health Group, for its support in delivering care to patients across the area.
Mr Baines said: “I was delighted to visit Fairfield Hospital last week, where both the excellent staff and management of Circle Health Group are working day in, day out to provide high-quality care for patients across St Helens North and beyond.
“The majority of patients treated at the hospital are NHS, and the role this helps play in tackling waiting lists and delivering care and treatment shouldn’t be taken for granted.”
Sarah Agnew and David Baines MP (Image: Supplied)
The hospital has been serving the community for more than 40 years, partnering with NHS commissioners to improve access to treatment and reduce waiting times.
Earlier this year, it was acquired by Circle Health Group, which has since begun integrating it into its national network, focusing on improving theatre efficiency and shortening patient stays for orthopaedic and general surgery.
During his visit, Mr Baines toured the hospital and met staff, patients, and the management team.
He learned that the hospital delivered more than 30,000 NHS appointments last year.
He said: “I want everyone to have access to a high-quality, timely, and efficient NHS, funded through general taxation and free at the point of use.
“There is a role for providers such as Fairfield in helping the system to deliver that care, and I thank all the staff there for their dedication to patients and healthcare.”
Mr Baines discussed future plans for the hospital with its management team and shared his health priorities for the constituency.
He welcomed Circle Health Group’s commitment to supporting the government’s goal of reducing waiting times for planned care to 18 weeks.
Sarah Agnew, executive director of Fairfield Independent Hospital, said: “It was a pleasure to welcome Mr Baines to Fairfield on Friday and share with him personally the work we are doing to improve access to high-quality care across his constituency.
“We have big plans for Fairfield and at the heart of that is a commitment to working collaboratively with NHS commissioners to slash waiting times and to provide patients with the treatment they need at a time and place convenient to them.”