The 2019 Tory manifesto pledged to build 40 new hospitals over the decade
(Picture: POOL/AFP via Getty Images)New hospitals promised for London and the South-East are years behind schedule and some have not yet received planning permission, the Evening Standard can reveal.
The 2019 Tory manifesto pledged to build 40 new hospitals over the decade, a commitment repeated many times by former prime minister Boris Johnson.
However, Rishi Sunak has sparked fears he could abandon the project after he refused to commit to building the new clinics. The new PM said the “Chancellor will set out plans in the Autumn Statement” when questioned about the programme in the Commons.
A £500 million specialist unit due to be constructed in Sutton on the same site as the Royal Marsden is delayed by at least two years, a Freedom of Information request by the Lib Dems showed.
A planning application for the facility, which was due to open in 2025, is yet to be submitted. Epsom and St Helier NHS Trust said it is still “waiting for feedback” on funding from government.
The Whipps Cross Hospital upgrade in east London has been plagued by delays due to hold-ups in government funding.
Barts Health NHS Trust said the facility may not be completed until 2028 — two years later than planned.
A £200 million specialist clinic for women and children due to open in Milton Keynes in 2024 has also been delayed.
A planning application for the unit, on the site of the existing hospital, has not been submitted and work is not expected to begin until “after 2025”.
Liberal Democrat health spokeswoman Daisy Cooper said: “Rishi Sunak is on track to break a key manifesto promise… These days the Conservative manifesto isn’t worth the paper it’s written on.
“Anything less than a cast-iron guarantee and cash in the bank will pave the way for another broken promise on our NHS.”
The hospitals plan is also facing a review by the Government’s spending watchdog, the National Audit Office.
A Department of Health spokesman said: “We are committed to delivering 40 new hospitals by 2030, backed by an initial £3.7 billion.
“We are taking action to speed up the construction of hospital sites, including spending time developing designs that can be shared across projects, preparing the construction industry for works, and building hospitals simultaneously.
“In June 2020, £1.5 billion of funding was announced for hospital maintenance and expanding A&E capacity. Of this, £600 million has been used to tackle almost 1,800 urgent maintenance projects across 178 trusts.”
