Latest news with #NewHospitalsProgramme
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
'The state of hospital buildings is unacceptable'
Looking around the dilapidated wards of Hillingdon Hospital in north-west London, Health minister Karin Smyth says she "knows people deserve better services". "I'm from Hillingdon, so I really do understand the difficulties that staff are working in here," she told BBC London. Hillingdon was the only London trust to get the go-ahead for a new hospital as part of the current New Hospital Programme. Ms Smyth said the state of hospital buildings across London was "unacceptable". London's hospitals have been given about £160m of emergency cash from an Estates Safety Fund to try to keep them running until they can be replaced, but trusts say the money is not enough to cover the repairs needed. Ms Smyth said: "We know there's been disappointment, a lot of delays, but this new government has got on with the review - we want to see this got on with now." She added: "When we came in as a new government last July, there wasn't funding for any of these schemes beyond March. "We understand the disappointment in other communities - but we have sought to put this programme now on a firm financial footing for the first time. That didn't happen before." Whipps Cross Hospital in Leytonstone, east London, is not dissimilar to Hillingdon. Shane DeGaris, the chief executive of Barts Health NHS Trust, described it as having "really substandard facilities". It was due to be rebuilt by 2026, but following a review of the New Hospitals Programme, the work has been delayed. Now the only part to be rebuilt before 2033 is the car park. The trust estimates the delays to rebuilding the hospital will cost £200m. At St Mary's Hospital in Paddington, west London, walls are crumbling around patients. The government has delayed the building of a new hospital there until 2035. In the meantime, the hospital's trust has been given £25m from the government for repairs to energy systems, electrical systems, water systems, ventilation systems, fire safety works and drainage works. But this must be shared between St Mary's, Charing Cross and Hammersmith hospitals. The trust estimates it will spend over £100m on repairs at St Mary's Hospital alone until it is rebuilt. St Helier Hospital, in south London, was given the go-ahead for a new hospital in 2020, but that has now been delayed until 2033. The hospital, which opened in 1941, recently reported having to knock down a ward due to sinking foundations and windows falling out. The trust that runs it, Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust, said: "Our ageing hospitals are deteriorating faster than we can fix them." It estimates the costs of the delays to upgrades needed to both St Helier, and Epsom hospitals will amount to an additional £150m a year. It has been given £12m as part of the Estates Safety Fund. Last month, Ken Welch, former director of facilities, estates and supplies at St Helier Hospital, said the condition of the buildings raised serious concerns. "I've seen a lot in 30 years working in the NHS, but the condition of the buildings at St Helier is among the worst," he said. "I'm seriously concerned about the risk of fire, particularly with the growing use of corridor care. But most of all, I'm worried about the safety of the patients." Listen to the best of BBC Radio London on Sounds and follow BBC London on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to Hospitals may close without upgrades, bosses fear Crumbling hospital must be rebuilt - trust boss Hospital infrastructure 'among worst in NHS' New Hospitals Programme
Yahoo
21-02-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Hospital rebuild could cost up to £1.5bn
Work to replace a hospital with a brand new building could cost up to £1.5bn, councillors have been told. Airedale Hospital, near Keighley, which serves parts of West Yorkshire and North Yorkshire, was built using collapse-prone reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (Raac) and had been earmarked for a complete rebuild under the previous government's New Hospitals Programme. Work on the rebuild could begin in 2028, a meeting of Bradford Council's Health and Social Care Scrutiny Committee was told. However, a report by council officers said the scheme would be "complex and come with considerable challenges". The hospital serves 220,000 people living in the Bradford and Craven districts. Plans to rebuild it were confirmed by government earlier this year following a review of the scheme – with Airedale selected as one of the first wave of hospital rebuilds. According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, a report prepared for the council meeting said: "A capital funding envelope of between £1bn and £1.5bn has been confirmed, recognising the need to completely rebuild the hospital. "Building the new hospital will be complex and come with considerable challenges. "We need to make sure services remain safe and can continue effectively during construction." Before work could begin on the new building, works including the creation of a new access route from Skipton Road and construction of a new multi-storey car park will would need to be carried out, the meeting heard. Stuart Shaw, director of strategy, planning and partnerships at Airedale NHS Foundation Trust, said the new hospital would be "a taller building, more than two storeys". "The current hospital is a 1960s build. It is two storeys over a huge space, with long corridors connecting different buildings," he said. "The new build will be more compact." He told councillors it would have a similar number of beds to the current hospital. Mr Shaw said he had been told the start date could be 2028, but he did not currently have a completion date. Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North or tell us a story you think we should be covering here. New hospital plans to continue despite NHS review Crumbling hospital's rebuild will go ahead Calls for fresh pledge on hospital rebuild Airedale NHS Foundation Trust Local Democracy Reporting Service
Yahoo
30-01-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Delayed hospital upgrade could cost an extra £800m
Upgrades to a city-centre hospital could cost £800m more than originally planned, following government delays to the project. Health bosses in Leeds have been told proposed building work at Leeds General Infirmary (LGI) will not begin until at least 2032. It means the new adult hospital, maternity centre and children's hospital are unlikely to be delivered until 2040, more than 20 years after plans for the overhaul were first announced. Prof Phil Wood, chief executive of Leeds Teaching Hospitals, expressed his concern that patients would need to "wait even longer for this much-needed new hospital". A progress report on the project said the latest government decision to push back the upgrade, on top of previous delays, "could result in an estimated additional £800m cost" to the scheme. The city centre infirmary is one of a string of projects put on hold following a review by Health Secretary Wes Streeting. According to a report published by the Department of Health and Social Care, the estimated cost of building work at LGI - part of the New Hospitals Programme - is now between £1.5 and £2.5bn. Leeds Teaching Hospitals (LTH) NHS Trust said the information used to come up with that figure, and delay the scheme, had not been shared. The trust was previously told government funding would be in place. Prof Wood said "We will continue to work with the NHP, to understand the detail of this announcement and what it means for our plans. "Our key priority now will be to make sure that we can continue to provide safe, high-quality services for our patients in an appropriate environment." The Trust has previously warned that parts of LGI were than 150 years old and not fit for purpose. The organisation faces a maintenance backlog more than £650m, which includes the cost of keeping those ageing buildings running, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service. A spokesperson for The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) said "This government has confirmed a funding plan and realistic timetable to put us on track to deliver the rebuild of LGI. "We will work closely with trusts to accelerate progress where possible." Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North or tell us a story you think we should be covering here. Leeds General Infirmary rebuild delayed to 2030 Public urged to back hospital rebuild plans MP to meet Streeting to discuss LGI repair backlog
BBC News
30-01-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Leeds General Infirmary: Upgrade delay could cost an extra £800m
Upgrades to a city-centre hospital could cost £800m more than originally planned, following government delays to the bosses in Leeds have been told proposed building work at Leeds General Infirmary (LGI) will not begin until at least means the new adult hospital, maternity centre and children's hospital are unlikely to be delivered until 2040, more than 20 years after plans for the overhaul were first Phil Wood, chief executive of Leeds Teaching Hospitals, expressed his concern that patients would need to "wait even longer for this much-needed new hospital". A progress report on the project said the latest government decision to push back the upgrade, on top of previous delays, "could result in an estimated additional £800m cost" to the city centre infirmary is one of a string of projects put on hold following a review by Health Secretary Wes to a report published by the Department of Health and Social Care, the estimated cost of building work at LGI - part of the New Hospitals Programme - is now between £1.5 and £ Teaching Hospitals (LTH) NHS Trust said the information used to come up with that figure, and delay the scheme, had not been trust was previously told government funding would be in place. Prof Wood said "We will continue to work with the NHP, to understand the detail of this announcement and what it means for our plans."Our key priority now will be to make sure that we can continue to provide safe, high-quality services for our patients in an appropriate environment."The Trust has previously warned that parts of LGI were than 150 years old and not fit for organisation faces a maintenance backlog more than £650m, which includes the cost of keeping those ageing buildings running, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.A spokesperson for The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) said "This government has confirmed a funding plan and realistic timetable to put us on track to deliver the rebuild of LGI."We will work closely with trusts to accelerate progress where possible."Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North or tell us a story you think we should be covering here.
