THE recent heavy rain has caused water leaks in the corridors of Musgrove Park Hospital in Taunton, the Somerset NHS Trust has confirmed.

The trust said “it has become increasingly difficult to maintain” the older buildings part of the estate, which were used as an American hospital during the Second World War.

Gideon Amos, MP for Taunton and Wellington, is calling for urgent investment at the forthcoming Budget.

A spokesperson for Somerset NHS Foundation Trust said: “A part of our estate at Musgrove Park Hospital has buildings that were used when it was an American hospital during the Second World War, some of which house our maternity unit, children’s services, critical care unit and general operating theatres.

“In common with other hospitals across the NHS, it has become increasingly difficult to maintain these older buildings, and on occasions we have experienced water leaks in our corridors during periods of extremely heavy rain.

“We manage this on an ongoing basis to ensure that we continue to provide care in a safe and comfortable environment.

“We are in the process of replacing our dated critical care unit, general operating theatres and endoscopy suite with our new surgical centre, which is due to open towards the end of 2025.

“In addition, we are also waiting for the outcome of the government’s review into the New Hospitals Programme at Musgrove Park Hospital.

“We’re continuing to work closely with the New Hospitals Programme team on its scheme to confirm plans, funding arrangements and timescales.”

Ahead of the Autumn Budget, Mr Amos has demanded urgent investment in the area's hospitals, to clear the backlog of repairs and ensure patients are treated in safe environments.

He is calling on the Chancellor to use any changes to borrowing rules to use that money to invest in Somerset's hospitals.

Mr Amos said: “People going to hospital should not have to worry about buildings crumbling around them or roofs leaking above their heads.

“This backlog in basic repairs, needed but left undone by the previous Conservative government, is a scandalous legacy of underfunding and mismanagement which the new Parliament and government now needs to sort out.

“The NHS was the brainchild of Liberal MP William Beveridge and when it was delivered by a Labour government it was only Conservative MPs who tried to stop it.

“This shocking new information on the damage and repairs their last government have left behind shows they could not be trusted with the NHS today either.

"I am pushing both the Health Secretary and the Chancellor to put the money into repairs here in Taunton and Wellington which are so urgently needed."