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Sam Blewett, PA & Max Channon

Boris Johnson’s pledge to build 40 ‘new hospitals’ faces Watchdog probe

Boris Johnson’s election pledge to build 40 new hospitals in England by 2030 is facing a review by the Government’s official spending watchdog.

The National Audit Office (NAO) is planning a “value for money review” that could consider increasing costs due to spiralling inflation and whether the hospitals will in fact be new. The investigation emerged in a letter to shadow health secretary Wes Streeting from NAO comptroller Gareth Davies after the Labour MP warned of a waste of taxpayers’ money.

Mr Streeting had asked for an investigation into delays surrounding the programme announced by the Prime Minister in the 2019 general election campaign. The Labour MP said many NHS trusts are still awaiting funds to be allocated and many are in fact alterations or refurbishments not “new hospitals”.

In the letter first reported by the Observer, Mr Davies responded: “I can confirm that I already have plans to start a value for money review of the New Hospitals Programme later this year and to report my findings during 2023.

“I have passed your letter to my Health Value for Money team so it can consider the specific issues you raised as it develops the scope of the review. In particular, I note your comments about the implications of delay for increasing costs at this time of high inflation and the matter of whether all projects truly meet the classification of ‘new hospitals’.”

The NAO’s work threatens to cast further doubts over Mr Johnson’s ability to deliver on his promises, as he fights a series of scandals including partygate and allegations of sexual misconduct levelled at Tory MPs. Commenting on the investigation, Mr Streeting said: “The only place these ’40 new hospitals’ currently exist is in Boris Johnson’s imagination. The election manifesto promise now looks to be another example of the Conservatives overpromising and underdelivering.”

The Conservative manifesto clearly stated that they would “build and fund 40 new hospitals over the next 10 years”. The Government website lists the new 40 hospitals as follows:

List of 40 hospitals

Scheme Site Region Trust Details
In build (4) 1. Midland Metropolitan Hospital Midlands Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust The new Midland Metropolitan hospital will bring together urgent care services from 3 hospitals across the region into one state-of-the-art site, promoting better patient safety and care while ensuring value for money.

2. Cumberland Cancer Hospital North East & Yorkshire North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust To establish a modern oncology hospital with the equipment and facilities to comply with national service specifications, transforming cancer care services for patients across North Cumbria.

3. Royal Liverpool Hospital North West Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust Development of a new hospital to replace the current Royal Liverpool University Hospital.

4. 3Ts Hospital, Brighton South East Brighton & Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust Three-phase building works to deliver a Regional Centre for Teaching, Trauma and Tertiary Care at Royal Sussex County Hospital
Pending Final Approval (4) 5. Moorfields Eye Hospital London Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust A new eye care, research and education facility, Moorfields Eye Hospital and UCL Institute of Ophthalmology.

6. Northgate Hospital, Morpeth, Northumberland North East & Yorkshire Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust Rebuild of Northgate hospital to provide single integrated secure service centre of excellence, and the re-provision of Newcastle and Gateshead adult acute inpatient services at St Nicholas Hospital, Newcastle. Reprovision of Children’s and Young People’s medium secure inpatient services to Ferndene, Prudhoe, Northumberland.

7. Greater Manchester Major Trauma Hospital North West Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust To provide an additional non-elective, high-acuity hospital to support Greater Manchester Major Trauma Service and the transfer of high-acuity surgery.

8. Defence and National Rehabilitation Centre Midlands Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust To build a national rehabilitation centre at Stanford Hall, near Loughborough.
HIP 1 (6) 9. Princess Alexandra Hospital, Harlow East of England Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust A new integrated, high-tech healthcare campus to replace the aging Princess Alexandra Hospital.

10. Watford General Hospital East of England West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust Rebuilding Watford General, including women & children’s services.

11. Whipps Cross University Hospital, North East London London Barts Health NHS Trust A new hospital at Whipps Cross, providing a range of patient services including emergency and maternity.

12. Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals London Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust A new major hospital for Epsom General Hospital and St Helier Hospital.

13. University Hospitals of Leicester Midlands University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust Rebuild at Leicester Royal Infirmary and Glenfield & new facilities at Leicester General.

14. Leeds General Infirmary North East & Yorkshire Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust Centralising children’s and adult services at LGI with pathology services at St James University Hospital.
HIP 2 (25) 15. West Suffolk Hospital, Bury St Edmunds East of England West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust To rebuild West Suffolk Hospital, replace poor estate and provide a better patient environment at West Suffolk Hospital

16. East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust South East East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust To provide a new hospital at Eastbourne; new medical wards and refurbishment at Conquest; new clinical building at Bexhill.

17. Royal Berkshire Hospital, Reading South East Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust Rebuild of Royal Berkshire to replace ageing estate to tackle significant critical backlog.

18. Milton Keynes Hospital East of England Milton Keynes University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust To build a new women and children’s hospital at Milton Keynes hospital.

19. The Hillingdon Hospital, North West London London Hillingdon Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust Rebuild of Hillingdon Hospital to replace ageing estate to tackle significant critical backlog.

20. Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust South East Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust New hospital at Basingstoke & North Hampshire Hospital and major refurbishment at Royal Hampshire Hospital in Winchester.

21. St Ann’s Hospital, Dorset South West Dorset HealthCare University NHS Foundation Trust New build on existing site for Child and Adult Mental Health Services in Dorset.

22. North Manchester General Hospital North West Manchester University Hospitals Foundation Trust Rebuild of North Manchester General Hospital provide new healthcare facilities to replace poor estate and provide better patient environment.

23. Dorchester Community Hospital, Dorset South West Dorset HealthCare University NHS Foundation Trust New build of Dorchester Community Hospital on site and also to build new ED and ICU. Service model sees better integration of the DGH with GP and community services in a new hospital.

24. Poole Community Hospital, Dorset South West Dorset HealthCare University NHS Foundation Trust Rebuild of Poole Community hospital with theatres and sterile services. Part of the ‘One Dorset Estate’ which links acute and community services to reduce pressure.

25. North Devon District Hospital South West Northern Devon Healthcare NHS Trust Rebuild of North Devon District Hospital to provide new healthcare facilities to replace ageing estate and enable the delivery of new models of care at.

26. James Paget Hospital , Great Yarmouth East of England James Paget University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust Rebuild of James Paget Hospital.

27. Kettering General Hospital Midlands Kettering General Hospital NHS Foundation Trust Rebuild of Kettering General. Options being developed to move to a hot/cold configuration or a single site rebuild.

28. Queen’s Medical Centre, Nottingham City Hospital Midlands Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust Rebuild of both the Queen’s Medical Centre and City Hospital sites.

29. Royal Preston and Lancaster Royal Infirmary North West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals and University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay Planned replacement of Royal Preston and Lancaster Royal Infirmary, where subject to consultation either a single or two hospitals with appropriate re-provision of 3 community urgent care hubs and 3 out of hospital hubs will result.

30. Bournemouth Community Hospital, Dorset South West Dorset HealthCare University NHS Foundation Trust Rebuild of Bournemouth Community Hospital

31. Musgrove Park Hospital, Taunton South West Somerset NHS Foundation Trust Rebuild of Musgrove Park Hospital

32. Torbay District General, Torquay South West Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust Rebuild of Torbay Hospital. New smaller acute ‘hot’ hospital, a ‘cold’ elective centre and monies for a collaborative North East South elective centre all underpinned by an EPR system and technology enabled care.

33. Addenbrookes Cancer hospital East of England Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust New cancer hospital at Addenbrookes

34. Royal United Bath Hospital South West Royal United Hospital Bath NHS Foundation Trust A new Cancer Hospital, completing a programme of phased capital work at the Royal United Hospitals Bath (RUH) which has specifically aimed to deliver a new Cancer Hospital, reduce critical areas of organisational risk and improve the quality of the environment for service delivery across the northern part of the Combe Park estate

35. Cornwall Children’s Hospital South West Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust New Women’s and Children’s Hospital in the centre of the Royal Cornwall Hospital site in Truro.

36. Derriford Emergency Care Hospital South West Plymouth Hospitals NHS Trust A new integrated emergency care hospital, bringing all urgent care into one emergency care hospital, with dedicated areas for children and frail patients.

37. St Mary’s Hospital, London London Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust Rebuild of St Mary’s Paddington

38. Charing Cross Hospital, London London Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust Rebuild of Hammersmith Hospital, new clinical academic redevelopment near ICL White City Campus, co-located with Imperial College biomedical campus at White City. Major floor-by-floor refurbishment of Charing Cross.

39. Christchurch Community hospital, Dorset South West Dorset HealthCare University NHS Foundation Trust Rebuild of Christchurch Community hospital, Implementing. Consolidating services into new community hubs, with associated investment in DGH and mental health care.
1 additional 40. Shotley Bridge Hospital, Durham North East & Yorkshire County Durham New hospital including inpatient beds, with unscheduled care, outpatient activity, chemotherapy and diagnostics to replace the existing Shotley Bridge Hospital.
Open competition Competition to find 8 further new schemes Various Various Competition for 8 further hospitals including new Mental Health Hospitals

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