16 September 2026

Luke Myer MP has met staff at East Cleveland Hospital as he continues working with NHS leaders, trade unions and the Government over proposed changes to Tocketts Ward.

Luke spent time with the Tocketts team today (Wednesday 16 September) alongside UNISON representatives Michelle and David, listening to staff about the proposals and what they could mean for the ward. Yesterday Luke spoke with senior Trust leadership for further information about the proposals and to request the evidence behind them and the implications for East Cleveland.

He has also raised East Cleveland Hospital with the Government’s Health Secretary, Yvette Cooper, who has agreed to arrange a ministerial meeting to discuss the long-term future of the hospital.

The latest discussions form part of Luke’s wider work to strengthen the future of East Cleveland Hospital. During a visit to the hospital earlier this summer, he highlighted the vacant parts of the hospital and wrote to NHS Property Services to request a discussion on bringing them back into use, including exploring opportunities for new community and mental health services.

Luke Myer MP said:

“I am passionate about East Cleveland Hospital. It opened the year I was born, and my mam brought me here when I was a baby and we lived just nearby on Child Street.

“The Tocketts team care deeply about their patients, their colleagues and this hospital, and that came across loud and clear when I met them. I never make promises I can’t keep, but I want staff to have a proper voice in this process. I am speaking constructively with the Trust, the unions and the Department of Health and Social Care, and I will keep working with everyone involved to secure the strongest possible long-term future for East Cleveland Hospital.”