Back in 2019 when the then Government announced it would deliver ‘40 new hospitals by 2030', there was a degree of cynicism about how realistic the plan was, and whether many of the projects could really be classified as new builds.
A leaked government 'playbook' - reported by Health Service Journal in 2021 - on how to describe the projects added to the concern. Over time, that cynicism has understandably increased and yesterday we saw what felt inevitable for many months - that the New Hospital Programme would need to be reset.
The upshot from Wes Streeting's announcement to Parliament yesterday is that the remaining schemes in the programme that were waiting for the go ahead will be allocated to one of three 'wave' groups:
✔️ Wave 1 schemes are expected to begin construction between 2025 and 2030. These schemes include hospitals constructed primarily using RAAC, and have been prioritised as patient and staff safety is paramount.
✔️ Wave 2 schemes are expected to start between 2030 and 2035.
✔️ Wave 3 schemes are expected to start between 2035 and 2039.
📆 On the one hand, the revised timetable feels more realistic and credible and the government will now be held to account for delivering against it. We should also remember that it provided extra capital investment in the last #Budget
But on the other hand, it cannot be underestimated how much of a blow this is to patients, NHS staff and those leaders who have had their projects delayed by years. They have to continue to make do in very difficult conditions.
At NHS Confederation we've been hearing from many members over the last 24 hours who are deeply disappointed about the outcome. Their concerns fall into three categories:
1️⃣ Ongoing risks to patient safety.
2️⃣ The negative impact this will have on reducing waiting lists and improving productivity.
3️⃣ The ongoing costs of maintaining old buildings. One member says the delay will add up to £150m to the cost of their new hospital as they will have more years of propping up an old building.
As Lord Darzi said in his government review of the #NHS , the NHS has been starved of capital in the last decade, with £37 billion of under-investment. We are left with many hospitals that have leaking pipes and collapsed roofs, and that's not to mention the huge impact on mental health, community and primary care estates.
So, while the reset of the NHP was much needed, this is a huge setback to the sector and will have significant consequences across the country. It also again shows that our current approach to allocating scarce capital investment is grossly inefficient and in need of reform.
To help restore the public and NHS staff confidence that will be damaged by this, the government needs to stick to the revised timetable and deliver on its commitments.
NHS Confederation Acute Care Director Rory Deighton has been making these points on behalf of our members in the national media today, including on BBC News this morning.
Compassionate and experienced NHS senior leader
2moHaving worked at both Whipps Cross and Princess Alexandra I am staggered that their builds have been pushed back so far with both being in desperate need, particularly WX who have been in the process for 10+ years. There are limitations on the care and efficiency that can be delivered by buildings that are not fit for purpose.