Nearly half of the 40 new hospitals promised by the previous government have been delayed, as the health secretary commits to putting the New Hospital Programme “on track.”
Health secretary Wes Streeting has confirmed £3 billion a year in funding and a “realistic timetable” for the New Hospital Programme.
The previous government set out the programme as part of Boris Johnson’s 2019 election manifesto, and promised to deliver 40 new hospitals by 2030.
Streeting said the original pledge was “built on the shaky foundation of false hope” and highlighted the difficulty of delivering the projects without confirmed funding, “let alone delivering them all in the next 5 years.”
In its annual report the Infrastructure Projects Authority (IPA) deemed the previous scheme ‘unachievable’, rating the programme as red and highlighting major issues including with the schedule and budget.
The government has said it is committed to rebuilding the NHS and to rebuilding trust in government.
Labour has pledged £15 billion of new investment over consecutive five-year waves, averaging £3 billion a year.
At the Budget, chancellor Rachel Reeves announced that health capital spending in the NHS is set to increase to £13.6 billion in 2025-26.
Under the new plan 18 of the projects are now set to start between 2030 and 2039, with 16 to start between 2025 and 2029 and seven schemes already under construction
The new timetable for the scheme are:
- Wave 0: expected to begin 2025-29 (Seven hospitals)
- Wave 1: expected to begin 2025-30, (16 hospitals including hospitals constructed primarily using RAAC).
- Wave 2: expected to begin 2030-35 (Nine hospitals)
- Wave 3: expected to begin 2035-39 (Nine hospitals)
The Department for Health and Social Care said hospitals in later waves will be supported on their development and early construction work before then, to ensure that they are ready for main construction.
Streeting said: “Not a single new hospital was built in the past five years, and there was no credible funding plan to build forty in the next five years.
“When I walked into the Department of Health and Social Care, I was told that the funding for the New Hospitals Programme runs out in March.”
Morag Stuart, COO for the New Hospital Programme, said: “This announcement by the Department of Health and Social Care provides certainty on the next steps for the New Hospital Programme.
“We will continue to work with local NHS organisations to deliver improvements to hospitals across England, including making best use of new technology and improving layouts – and ensuring future hospitals are designed to meet the needs of patients and staff.”
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