The largest hospital building programme in a generation has been launched as part of a new Health Infrastructure Plan
Health and social care secretary Matt Hancock has launched the hospital building programme to ensure the UK health service has world-class facilities for patients and staff for the long term.
The Health Infrastructure Plan outlines a long-term investment in health infrastructure, including capital to:
- Build new hospitals;
- Modernise our primary care estate;
- Invest in new diagnostics and technology;
- Help eradicate critical safety issues in the NHS estate.
At the centre of this plan is a new hospital building programme, which the government has launched with a £2.8bn investment that gives 6 new large hospitals the funding to go ahead now, aiming to deliver by 2025.
A further 21 projects have been given the green light with the seed funding they need to develop their business cases, with the aim of delivering between 2025 and 2030, subject to business case approvals.
In total, this programme involves more than 40 hospital building projects as some schemes involve the development of more than one hospital site. All local areas will have the opportunity to bid to be part of future funding rounds.
The 6 trusts gaining £2.7bn in funding to develop new hospitals include:
- Barts Health Trust;
- Epsom and St Helier Trust;
- West Hertfordshire Trust;
- Princess Alexandra Hospital Trust;
- University Hospitals of Leicester Trust;
- Leeds Teaching Hospitals Trust.
This investment is on top of the extra £33.9bn a year by 2023 to 2024 that the government is providing to the NHS. It comes after the government’s recent pledge of £1.8bn in capital funding for 20 hospital upgrades and other critical infrastructure works for the NHS.
I’ll believe it, when I see it. The Government promises one thing & do another. Why build near Retail Units? Use the land for housing. That’s what being screamed for. Re-design the main Hospital & build up, that way, there’s enough room.