Conservatives embark on biggest hospital building programme for a generation

Health
Secretary Matt Hancock has launched the biggest hospital building programme in
a generation, as part of a major push by the Conservatives to ensure the NHS is
delivering for patients across the country.

The
multi-billion pound new Health Infrastructure Plan will deliver a long-term,
rolling five-year programme of investment in health infrastructure, including
capital to build new hospitals, modernise our primary care estate, and invest
in new diagnostics and technology.

As
part of the Health Infrastructure Plan, 40 new hospitals will be built across
England over the next decade. Six of the hospital builds are getting the full
go-ahead today, and a further twenty one new build projects (consisting of
thirty four new hospitals in total) are receiving seed funding to kick start
their schemes. Other projects will be able to bid into this and other future
waves too.

The
package includes £200m to replace MRI, CT scanners and breast cancer screening
equipment, so that no scanner in the NHS is more than 10 years old. And the
Government is today confirming that the Department of Health and Social Care
will receive a new multi-year capital settlement at the next capital review to
develop capacity, plan effectively, get better value for money and deliver on the
commitments we have already made.

The
six hospitals getting the full go-ahead today are: Whipps Cross Hospital, Epsom
and St Helier Trust, West Hertfordshire Trust, Princess Alexandra Hospital
Trust, University Hospitals of Leicester Trust, and Leeds Teaching Hospitals
Trust. These projects are being funded with a £2.7 billion cash injection of
brand new money from the Treasury.

The
projects receiving the £100 million seed funding include Addenbrookes hospital
in Cambridge, the Queen’s Medical Centre in Nottingham and the North Manchester
General Hospital.

The
new investment comes in addition to the £33.9 billion increase in cash funding
for the day-to-day running of the NHS being delivered by the Government over
the next five years.

Prime
Minister Boris Johnson said:

“When
I became Prime Minister, I promised to make sure that money for the NHS gets
directly to the front line, so that patients consistently receive world-class
care and NHS staff have the resources they need to provide this incredible service
day in, day out. We’re already delivering on this, upgrading hospitals across
the country. And today we’re investing more money to support our NHS. We’re
providing additional funding for 40 new hospitals to be built over the next
decade. This will transform our NHS for millions of patients and
hard-working staff.

“I’ve
spent the past two months visiting hospitals across the country, and I’ve seen
first-hand the need to invest in our hospitals. We need to get Brexit done
by October 31 so we can
focus on investing in our NHS, providing more
resources for staff and world-leading care for patients.”

Health
Secretary Matt Hancock said:

“I love the NHS and I’m incredibly
excited to be able to launch the largest hospital building plan in a
generation, with 40 new hospitals across the country. Too many of our
hospitals are too old, and this £13 billion plan will build new state of the
art hospitals, using the best technology, so our brilliant NHS staff have the
best possible facilities to provide the best possible care. 

“For too long, we’ve taken a
short-term approach to NHS buildings and infrastructure, too often using a PFI
system that has hamstrung hospitals for decades. Our new Health Infrastructure
Plan is going to change that. Rather than the piecemeal and uncoordinated
decisions of the past, we will be taking a strategic approach to improve health
infrastructure and set the priorities for the NHS over the long term.

“I’ve seen first-hand the difference
that world-class facilities can make for patients. At their best, well-designed
wards with the right facilities can speed up recovery, ensure patients receive
the right treatment, and get medication on time. The Health Infrastructure Plan
will help ensure everyone in our country has access to the best possible
healthcare when they need it, wherever they live, and whoever they are, for
generations to come.

“Alongside our record £33.9 billion
funding increase for the day to day running of the NHS, this is the largest,
longest, financial settlement for the NHS in history. This investment is only
possible thanks to our responsible management of the economy. Only Boris
Johnson and the Conservatives will boost our economy, so that we can properly
fund our vital public services and make sure our NHS is always there for you
and your family.”

ENDS

Annex A – First set of investment in new hospitals

 

6 hospitals to be
developed in HIP1 (2020-2025)

 

London – Barts Health NHS Trust – Whipps Cross University
Hospital – North East London

London – Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust
– St Helier Hospital – South West London

North East and Yorkshire – Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS
Trust – Leeds General Infirmary – Leeds

East – The Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust – Princess
Alexandra Hospital – Harlow

Midlands – University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust – Leicester
General, Leicester Royal, Glenfield – Leicester

East – West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust – Watford
General – Watford

 

21 Trusts being given
seed funding to develop their plans for HIP2 (2025-2030)

East – Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust –
Addenbrookes – Cambridge

South West – Dorset Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust – Various
(potentially 12) community hospitals – Dorset

South East – East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust – Conquest,
Eastbourne District Hospitals – Hastings; Eastbourne

South East – Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust – Royal
Hampshire County Hospital,

Basingstoke & North Hampshire Hospital – Winchester – Basingstoke

London – Hillingdon Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust – The
Hillingdon Hospital = North West London

London – Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust – Charing
Cross, St Mary’s and Hammersmith Hospitals – West and Central London

East – James Paget University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
– James Paget Hospital – Great Yarmouth

Midlands – Kettering General Hospital NHS Foundation Trust –
Kettering General Hospital – Kettering

North West – Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation
Trust – Royal Preston Hospital – Preston

East – Milton Keynes NHS Foundation Trust – Milton Keynes
Hospital – Milton Keynes

South West – North Devon Healthcare NHS Trust – North Devon
District Hospital – Barnstaple

Midlands – Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust – Queen’s
Medical Centre, Nottingham City Hospital – Nottingham

North West – Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust – North
Manchester General Hospital – North Manchester

South West – Plymouth Hospitals NHS Trust – Derriford
Hospital – Plymouth

South East – Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust – Royal
Berkshire Hospital – Reading

South West – Royal Cornwall NHS Foundation Trust – Royal
Cornwall Hospital – Truro

South West – Royal United Bath NHS Foundation Trust – Royal
United Bath Hospital – Bath

South West – Taunton and Somerset NHS Foundation Trust – Musgrove Park Hospital – Taunton

South West – Torbay and South Devon Health Care NHS
Foundation Trust – Torbay District General – Torquay

North West – University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS
Foundation Trust – Royal Lancaster Infirmary and Furness General Hospital – Lancaster;
Barrow-in-Furness

East – West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust – West Suffolk
Hospital – Bury St Edmunds