Berkshire hospital trust given £4m ahead of delayed rebuild
A hospital that previously said it had a £100m maintenance backlog has been given a share of £4.4m for repairs.Royal Berkshire Hospital in Reading, which is awaiting a delayed rebuild, and Bracknell Healthspace will split the government grant.A £750m funding package, earmarked in the Autumn Budget, has been parcelled out to NHS trusts in England.Sites in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight have been given more than £20m, with more than £15m allocated to Oxfordshire and more than £6m to Dorset.
The government said the funding would fix leaky pipes, poor ventilation and electrical issues in "crumbling" hospitals.In January, Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust said ministers' decision to delay the £2bn rebuild until at least 2037 was a "serious concern".Chief executive Steve McManus said maintaining the hospital until then could cost nearly £400m.
Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, which is also awaiting a delayed new hospital, has been allocated £1.6m.Oxford's John Radcliffe (JR) Hospital and the Horton General Hospital in Banbury have together been given £10m.In January 2024, the Liberal Democrat MP for Oxford West and Abingdon, Layla Moran, said the JR needed £147m for repairs.Health Secretary Wes Streeting said the grants, announced on Friday, would prevent cancelled appointments and operations.He said: "A decade and a half of underinvestment left hospitals crumbling, with burst pipes flooding emergency departments, faulty electrical systems shutting down operating theatres, and mothers giving birth in outdated facilities that lack basic dignity."The Conservative Party and the Liberal Democrats have previously criticised the Labour government's decision to pause the building of some new hospitals.Matthew Taylor, chief executive of the NHS Confederation, which represents health managers, said the £750m allocated in England was a "small down payment on the £14bn maintenance backlog that remains".Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust has been approached for further comment.
Funding for main hospitals in southern England
John Radcliffe Hospital (Oxford), Horton General Hospital (Banbury) - £10mSouthampton General Hospital, Princess Anne Hospital (Southampton) - £7.3mRoyal Berkshire Hospital (Reading), Bracknell Health Space - £4.4mPoole General Hospital, Royal Bournemouth Hospital - £2.8mDorset County Hospital (Dorchester) - £2.7mBasingstoke and North Hampshire Hospital, Royal Hampshire County Hospital (Winchester) - £1.6mSt Mary's Hospital (Isle of Wight) - £1.1mQueen Alexandra Hospital (Portsmouth), Health Records Library, Totton Renal Services, St Marys Community Hospital - £220,000(source: DHSC)
You can follow BBC Berkshire on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
BBC News
an hour ago
- BBC News
Tackling racism a priority, says Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Trust
Tackling "pockets of racism" in an NHS mental health trust remained a "number one priority", its chair has Billingham, the chair of Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust (NSFT) based in Norwich, pledged to make changes following findings from a recent staff survey found evidence that disciplinary processes for staff from a black, Asian and minority ethnic background were "more draconian".The study based on the experiences of 100 members of staff was commissioned by NSFT, and also included allegations of nepotism and inequality. Ms Billingham said: "There is undoubtedly pockets of racism within our trust."We've brought in experts from across the country to help us diagnose, where it's happening, why it's happening and we've got this movement now, across our staff, to say we've got to stop talking about being an anti-racist organisation, we have to act."Some of the racism came from patients and directed towards staff, and some staff expressed there was no clear process for dealing with racist Billingham confirmed making improvements was a top priority for the trust and that changes were not about "woke politics" but about getting the best from staff for patients."We've got to create that environment where staff are not subjected to racism, whether it's shouted or whispered, whether direct or indirect, we've got to eradicate it and stamp it out," she said. The workforce race equality report also found staff felt there were significant discrepancies in recruitment, career progression, the disciplinary process and equal included allegations of "widespread and problematic nepotism" and a fear of speaking up or making the report, NSFT's leadership was accused of not understanding race, and senior leaders were accused of not Ms Billingham also commented on a recent Care Quality Commission inspection which took place at the was removed from "special measures" status in February after more than seven years, following improvements to the findings of inspectors' visit a few days ago are yet to be made public but the chair of the NSFT said: "It's the start of our improvement journey."I'm hoping that we don't slip back, sometimes we take two steps forward and one step back."I am really optimistic that we will get better and are getting better." Follow Norfolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
Daily Mirror
an hour ago
- Daily Mirror
Tesco shoppers warned after supermarket puts new label on popular product
The NHS has issued a stark warning to Tesco shoppers who buy the supermarket's own-brand toilet roll, urging them to 'keep an eye out' and 'contact your GP practice if something doesn't feel right' The NHS is calling on Tesco customers to 'keep an eye out' and to 'contact your GP practice if something doesn't feel right', issuing a stark health warning as Tesco's exclusive Luxury Soft loo rolls now sport the NHS logo on their wrapping. In a bid to ramp up bowel cancer awareness, the partnership between NHS and Britain's leading grocer aims to tap into the regular shopping habits of consumers. Echoing across social media platform X, the NHS broadcasted: "Keep an eye out for our logo on @Tesco toilet roll-78.9 million rolls sold and counting!" The move acts as a timely nudge for shoppers to stay vigilant for early signs of cancer during their bathroom routine. READ MORE: 'I'm a fashion editor and found an unlikely retailer selling glitzy festival-ready outfits' The NHS is highlighting: "It's a reminder for people to look out for possible signs of cancer when going to the loo. Know what's normal for you and contact your GP practice if something doesn't feel right." On each pack, just below the NHS logo, is a critical message which reads: "Finding cancer earlier makes it more treatable and can save lives." On this unique packaging, customers will find a checklist of cancer indicators that might be detected in the loo, including changes in bowel movements or blood traces, reports the Express. For an exhaustive list of cancer symptoms, individuals are encouraged to navigate to Signs of bowel cancer include: changes in your poo, such as having softer poo, diarrhoea or constipation that is not usual for you needing to poo more or less often than usual for you blood in your poo, which may look red or black bleeding from your bottom often feeling like you need to poo, even if you've just been to the toilet tummy pain a lump in your tummy bloating losing weight without trying feeling very tired or short of breath – these are signs of anaemia, which can be caused by bowel cancer Should anyone experience symptoms of bowel cancer for more than three weeks, it's imperative to consult a doctor. The NHS offers comfort, stating: "Try not to be embarrassed. The doctor or nurse will be used to talking about these symptoms." If you observe that your stools are black or dark red, or if you're suffering from bloody diarrhoea, it's essential to arrange an urgent GP appointment or seek help from NHS 111. Assistance can be accessed by dialling 111 or using the online service at Cancer manifests in over 200 different varieties and can impact any part of the body, including organs, blood, bone marrow, and the immune system. In some cases, cancer may spread from its original location to other areas of the body, a process referred to as secondary cancer or metastasis. The specific type of cancer dictates the treatment approach. Standard treatments for cancer include surgical removal of the tumour, chemotherapy with drugs designed to eradicate cancer cells, and radiotherapy which employs radiation to target and eliminate cancer cells. Additional treatment methods might encompass immunotherapy, enhancing the immune system's ability to combat cancer, and hormone therapy, aimed at decelerating or stopping the proliferation of cancerous cells. The NHS reassures patients: "You'll be looked after by a team of specialists who will work with you to create a treatment plan that is best for you."
BBC News
an hour ago
- BBC News
'No-one is going to join Spurs without a manager' - fans on deadline day
We asked for your views on whether Tottenham need to act urgently in the transfer market, as the first of the two deadline days this summer comes to a close on are some of your comments:Tristen: We don't have a manger to make any decisions with signing players so probably not, however, Daniel Levy loves a cheap club signing regardless what any manager says so he will probably sign someone who will be another sub-par Would rather we waited until our new manager is appointed before we delve into the transfer I hope there will be no moves in or out until a new manager is in place. This needs to happen before the window We won't be making any additions in this brief window. No-one is going to join Spurs without a manager in place. The only news I could imagine would be a double deal for a player and manager from the same club, with one from our current squad going in the other direction. But really, I think the corporate leadership would desperately like to see the end of this mini-window, which has only dispirited the fan No business will be done because, thanks to the chairman, we have no manager! He wastes yet another opportunity to really build a winning team!Clare: Thanks to Levy and his board we don't even have a manager to make any decisions. We're already now so far behind others completing early transfers. In order to compete in the Premier League and Champions league this season, the incoming manager (whoever he is and whenever he comes) has a lot of work to do. We have quite a young squad and so Levy has to dig deep into his pocket and at least spend the Europa League money on experienced and proven players.
