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BBC News
4 days ago
- Health
- BBC News
Royal Berkshire Hospital's share of £4.4m funding 'not enough'
Funding awarded to a hospital for repairs and refurbishments is "not enough", a local MP has said. The government announced a £4.4m shared grant for Royal Berkshire Hospital (RBH) and Bracknell Liberal Democrat MP for Wokingham Clive Jones said the cash would "not touch the sides".The government said the funding would prevent appointments being cancelled and blamed "14 years of austerity" from previous administrations for the current problems in the NHS. The hospital, on Craven Road in Reading, was set to be rebuilt under the last government's new hospitals this has been delayed until at least 2037 by the current government, which said the previous plan was not affordable. Jones said the money was "very welcome" but "not enough"."We have £102m shortfall already and it's forecast to be up to £400m in the next 10 to 15 years," he said."So, £4.4m really does not touch the sides."He said he had met with Minister of State for Health Karen Smyth about the matter."Even if they give us £4.4m every year for the next 10 years we've still got a significant shortfall," he continued."I know the minister is well aware of the special circumstances of the Royal Berkshire and that there are parts of it that are 200 years old."Chief executive of RBH Steve McManus said he had also hoped for more funding. He said: "The hospital was in a losing battle against a constant need for repairs, with 50 operations being cancelled in 18 months due to estate disrepair, including power cuts, leaking roofs and collapsed ceilings."A spokesperson from the Department of Health and Social Care said: "We inherited a crumbling NHS following 14 years of austerity, including during the Lib Dems' time in office, but we are determined to turn this around."This week's investment is an essential step to make our hospitals safer and more efficient places to provide care."It added: "These works are funded through the Budget, which provided an extra £26 billion for health and care, and was voted against by the Lib Dems along with every other opposition party. Only Labour will rebuild our broken NHS." You can follow BBC Berkshire on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
BBC News
7 days ago
- Business
- BBC News
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 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 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" 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 £ John Radcliffe (JR) Hospital and the Horton General Hospital in Banbury have together been given £ January 2024, the Liberal Democrat MP for Oxford West and Abingdon, Layla Moran, said the JR needed £147m for Secretary Wes Streeting said the grants, announced on Friday, would prevent cancelled appointments and 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 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.
