More beds, new cutting-edge equipment and additional wards will be delivered at hospitals across the country, as the Prime Minister confirmed a new £1.8billion NHS cash injection.
Visiting a Lincolnshire hospital today, new Premier, Boris Johnson, revealed that 20 hospitals are set to share £850m of new funding to upgrade outdated facilities and equipment – helping improve patient care and, ultimately, save more lives.
He also confirmed a £1billion boost to NHS capital spending, enabling existing upgrade programmes to proceed, and tackling the most-urgent infrastructure projects.
The capital funding includes nearly £100m for a new women and children’s hospital in Truro, £72m for an adult mental health unit in Manchester, £12.7m to extend and refurbish critical care units at Croydon University Hospital, and 99.5m for a new critical and intensive care at Luton and Dunstable University Hospital.
And later this week, Health Secretary, Matt Hancock, will set out further changes to the NHS pension scheme to support senior doctors and GPs taking on extra shifts.
Ahead of his visit today, Johnson said: “The NHS is always there for us – free at the point of use for everyone in the country.
“With our doctors and nurses working tirelessly, day in day out, this treasured institution truly showcases the very best of Britain.
On top of the extra £33.9billion a year we are giving the NHS, today we are making a down payment for the future of NHS buildings and facilities, with a £1.8billion fund to revitalise our hospitals and immediate funding for bigger wards, better mental health units, and state-of-the-art children’s hospitals in areas that need them the most
“That’s why I made it my immediate task to make sure frontline services have the funding they need to make a real difference to the lives of NHS staff, and above all, of patients.
“Today I’m delivering on this promise with a £1.8billion cash injection – meaning more beds, new wards, and extra life-saving equipment to ensure patients continue to receive world-class care.
It’s time to face up to this challenge and make sure the NHS receives the funds it needs to continue being the best healthcare service in the world.”
The announcement delivers his pledge when entering Downing Street to urgently upgrade 20 hospitals and ensure money invested in the NHS is reaching the frontline as soon as possible.
And, during today’s visit he spoke to doctors, nurses and other frontline staff to hear their thoughts on where the NHS could be better supported.
The £1.8billion funding is in addition to the extra £33.9billion, in cash terms, that the NHS is set to receive every year by 2023/24 under the NHS Long-Term Plan, which was agreed last year.
Over £1billion of this will be spent this year, meaning an annual increase in the NHS’s capital budget of 30%.
The devolved administrations will receive additional Barnett funding in the normal way; indicative allocations are around £110m for Wales, £180m for Scotland, and £60m for Northern Ireland.
Chancellor of the Exchequer, Sajid Javid, said: “Thanks to the hard work of the British people, and the fundamental strength of our economy, we’re in a position to further increase funding for our NHS, ensuring quick access to quality healthcare for those who need it.
I made it my immediate task to make sure frontline services have the funding they need to make a real difference to the lives of NHS staff, and above all, of patients
“This £1.8billion for frontline services will not just go towards better equipment and technology, but important upgrades of hospitals across the country.
Hancock added: “I love the NHS - and so do the millions of taxpayers and their families cared for by our NHS every month. And we owe it to them to make sure they can get the best treatment in the best hospitals.
“On top of the extra £33.9billion a year we are giving the NHS, today we are making a down payment for the future of NHS buildings and facilities, with a £1.8billion fund to revitalise our hospitals and immediate funding for bigger wards, better mental health units, and state-of-the-art children’s hospitals in areas that need them the most.
“This is just the start of our Health Infrastructure Plan, with patients set to see and feel the benefits for years to come.”
The 20 hospitals set to be upgraded, at a cost of £850 million, include:
East of England:
- Luton & Dunstable University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust will receive £99.5m for a new block to provide critical and intensive care, as well as a delivery suite and operating theatres
- Norfolk & Norwich University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust will get £69.7m to provide diagnostic and assessment centres in Norwich, Great Yarmouth, and Kings Lynn to aid rapid diagnosis and assessment of cancer and non-cancerous disease
- Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust will receive £40m to build four new hospital wards in Norwich, providing 80 beds.
- NHS South Norfolk Clinical Commissioning Group will get £25.2m to develop and improve primary care services in South Norfolk
The Midlands:
- University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust will receive £97.1m for a new purpose-built hospital facility, replacing outdated outpatient, treatment and diagnostic accommodation
- United Lincolnshire Hospitals Trust NHS Trust will get £21.3m to improve patient flow in Boston by developing urgent and emergency care zones in A&E
- Wye Valley NHS Trust is earmarked to get £23.6m for new hospital wards in Hereford, providing 72 beds.
- University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust gets £17.6m to create three new modern wards to improve capacity and patient flow in Stoke, delivering approximately 84 beds for this winter.
London:
- Barking, Havering and Redbridge clinical commissioning groups and North East London NHS Foundation Trust will get £17m to develop a new health and wellbeing hub in North East London
- Croydon Health Services NHS Trust gets £12.7m to extend and refurbish critical care units at the Croydon University Hospital
North East and Yorkshire:
- South Yorkshire and Bassetlaw Integrated Care System gets £57.5m for primary care investment across South Yorkshire and Bassetlaw
- The Newcastle-upon-Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust gets £41.7m to improve paediatric cardiac services in the North East
- Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust gets £12m to provide a single Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) across West Yorkshire and Harrogate, covering all pathology disciplines
North West:
- Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust will get £72.3m to build a new adult mental health inpatient unit in Manchester
- Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust gets £33m for a new 40-bed low-secure unit for people with learning disabilities
- Stockport NHS Foundation Trust will get £30.6m for a new emergency care campus at Stepping Hill Hospital in Stockport, incorporating an Urgent Treatment Centre, GP assessment unit, and planned investigation unit
- NHS Wirral Clinical Commissioning Group gets £18m to improve patient flow in Wirral by improving access via the urgent treatment centre
- Tameside and Glossop Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust gets £16.3m to provide emergency and urgent care facilities at Tameside General Hospital in Ashton-under-Lyne
South East:
- Isle of Wight NHS Trust gets £48m to redesign acute services for Isle of Wight residents
South West:
- Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust gets £99.9m to build a new women’s and children’s hospital in the centre of the Royal Cornwall Hospital site in Truro
Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust will receive £72.3m to replace Park House mental health facility
Matthew Kershaw, chief executive at Croydon Health Services NHS Trust said its funding would provide 24 intensive care and high-dependency beds – almost doubling the current space – including more en-suite facilities, quiet rooms and waiting areas to support families at some of the most-difficult times in their lives.
By redeveloping our intensive treatment and high dependency units, we can ensure that our patients can receive the life-dependent care they need in their local hospital and in an environment that provides the highest levels of care and dignity
He added: “Today’s funding announcement gives us the opportunity to make some much-needed changes to our critical care services.
“Every day our staff work incredibly hard, providing the best care possible to seriously-ill patients. But, with a limited number of beds, and a unit that hasn’t been refurbished since the mid-80s, many Croydon residents needing critical care have ended up in a hospital too far away from home.
“By redeveloping our intensive treatment and high dependency units, we can ensure that our patients can receive the life-dependent care they need in their local hospital and in an environment that provides the highest levels of care and dignity.”
Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust will spend its £72.3m on replacing Manchester’s current mental health inpatient unit, Park House.
The unit, which currently has nine wards and 166 beds, will be completely rebuilt on the hospital site to provide an outstanding environment for high-quality care.
Neil Thwaite, trust chief executive, said: “We are delighted with today’s announcement.
“This funding means we can build a modern, fit-for-purpose inpatient facility which will support our hardworking staff to provide the best care for our patients.
“Research shows that the environment impacts massively on mental health and the prospects of recovery, and we want to be able to give patients the best chance possible to get better.
“No one wants to be in an inpatient mental health unit, but, if they do, we want them to feel hope and optimism.
“The new facility will hugely enhance the privacy and dignity for our patients, providing single rooms with en-suite bathrooms, more open space, improved access to outside gardens, and places to meet with family and friends, to help their recovery journey.”