The urgent need for investment in rebuilding and modernising hospital facilities was brought into sharp focus during a parliamentary debate on NHS hospitals, held yesterday (Wednesday, 23 April).
Helen Morgan, MP for North Shropshire, a Liberal Democrat politician, opened the debate by condemning what she termed a “national scandal” of decaying hospital infrastructure with a nationwide maintenance backlog of £13.8 billion.
Morgan's opening remarks highlighted the reality that many hospitals across the UK face: patients being treated in unsafe, overcrowded, and degrading conditions.
Morgan pointed to the stark consequences of underfunding hospital repairs and renovations, which have resulted in facilities that are barely fit for purpose.
Morgan proposed the government should create a “crumbling hospitals taskforce” to address the issue
From leaking roofs, crumbling ceilings, to sewage leaks, the backlog of maintenance work has created an environment where patients lose their dignity, and healthcare workers are forced to deliver care in inadequate environments.
Morgan criticised both the Conservative and Labour governments for their handling of the situation, citing a pattern of cutting repair budgets to keep day-to-day services running, and a lack of a coherent plan to fix the issue.
Morgan placed particular blame on the previous Conservative government’s mishandling of the New Hospital Programme, which lacked the necessary funding and realistic timelines for completion.
Morgan's concerns were not just about the deteriorating state of hospital buildings, but the far-reaching consequences of this inaction on patients and communities who were promised new hospitals but are now left waiting for work to begin as late as 2030.
Morgan proposed that the government should create a “Crumbling Hospitals Taskforce” to address the issue.
A call for immediate action
The debate highlighted the critical need for action in rebuilding the NHS estate.
Morgan called on the government to reverse delays to the New Hospital Programme, stressing the importance of delivering new hospital builds and repairs in a timely manner.
For many hospitals, this is a matter of urgency, as the current buildings are no longer viable in the long term.
The growing maintenance backlog continues to increase costs—repairing old structures is becoming increasingly expensive and inefficient.
Morgan placed particular blame on the previous Conservative government’s mishandling of the New Hospital Programme
The situation, Morgan argued, presents a "false economy," where the short-term savings from patching up old facilities will ultimately cost more in the future.
Morgan's concerns are backed by staggering figures. She gave Shropshire’s NHS estate as an example, as it faces a maintenance backlog of £75 million, Torbay Hospital requires over £50 million to address its backlog, and Watford Hospital needs £63 million.
Nationally, the figure stands at £13.8 billion—just to bring existing hospitals up to a minimum standard.
These sums highlight the scale of the challenge, with many hospitals struggling to keep their doors open, let alone provide the high-quality care patients deserve.
Morgan emphasised the need for a more strategic approach—one that prioritises new hospital builds
While the debate acknowledged that additional funding has been injected into the NHS, particularly under the Labour government, the key issue remains the allocation of resources.
Mark Ferguson, MP for Gateshead Central and Whickham, and a Labour politician, pointed to the £22 billion increase in NHS funding as evidence of progress.
However, Morgan critiqued this as a misleading figure, noting that much of the funding is absorbed by national insurance hikes and compensation for other public sector employers, rather than directly addressing the maintenance crisis in the NHS estate.
Morgan emphasised the need for a more strategic approach—one that prioritises new hospital builds rather than attempting to patch up old, dilapidated facilities.
While the debate acknowledged that additional funding has been injected into the NHS, particularly under the Labour government, the key issue remains the allocation of resources
By committing to a more sustainable approach that focuses on modernising healthcare infrastructure, the government can avoid the escalating costs of continuous repairs.
Rebuilding the NHS estate is not only essential for improving care but also for supporting the broader economy in the wake of years of financial mismanagement.
In conclusion, while the debate in Parliament highlighted the scale of the problem, it also emphasised the need for collaboration and innovative solutions to ensure that hospitals are not just repaired but are transformed into modern, efficient, and safe environments for both patients and staff.