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Hospitals in England set to receive £850m revealed 20 NHS building projects given green light
(about 3 hours later)
Twenty hospitals in England due to receive an extra £850m funding for upgrades to outdated facilities and new equipment have been revealed. Boris Johnson has given the green light to 20 new building and infrastructure projects in the NHS in England.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson will formally announce the plans - part of NHS spending pledges totalling £1.8bn - at a Lincolnshire hospital on Monday. The £850m package will pay for new wards, intensive care units and diagnostic centres as well as refurbishing some existing facilities over the next five years.
Projects the £850m will pay for include a new women and children's hospital in Cornwall. "It's part of a programme that the NHS asked for and I want to stress this is new money," the prime minister said.
But a healthcare charity said the money risked being a "drop in the ocean". But doubts have been raised over whether the money really is new.
The funding pledge comes during a week of health policy announcements by the government, with Health Secretary Matt Hancock expected to announce pension changes aimed at ending staffing problems. Mr Johnson also said there would be an extra £1bn this year to improve and maintain existing buildings.
'Extra life-saving equipment' The government had already committed to £6.7bn being spent on building and infrastructure, including IT, during 2019-20.
The £850m is to be spread out over five years, with the remaining £1bn intended to tackle a backlog of hospital upgrades this year. But despite repeated requests, Number 10 has been unable to confirm whether that total figure will rise.
It comes on top of an extra £20bn a year by 2023 announced by former prime minister Theresa May last year. Mr Johnson said the new money - less than 1% of the annual NHS budget - would mean "more beds, new wards, and extra life-saving equipment".
Ahead of his visit to Lincolnshire, Mr Johnson said the new money - less than 1% of the annual NHS budget - would mean "more beds, new wards, and extra life-saving equipment". "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," he said.
"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," he said. Mr Johnson previously said he was "determined to deliver" on the promises of the 2016 EU referendum, after criticism of the Vote Leave campaign's claim that £350m a week was being sent to the EU and could be spent on the NHS instead.
Mr Johnson previously said he was "determined to deliver" on the promises of the 2016 EU referendum, after criticism of the Vote Leave campaign's claim that £350m a week was sent to the EU and could be spent on the NHS instead. Health Secretary Matt Hancock said the NHS was "priority number one" for the new prime minister.
Mr Hancock told BBC Breakfast the NHS was "priority number one" for the new prime minister.
He said money for hospital upgrades was possible because the economy was growing and the funds would be available this year.He said money for hospital upgrades was possible because the economy was growing and the funds would be available this year.
A vision for the government beyond Brexit? Analysis by Nick Triggle, health correspondent
Downing Street wants to persuade voters Mr Johnson's vision for the country goes beyond delivering Brexit. But the domestic approach is intimately linked to the Leave vote. Even if we assume it is new money (and some people in the NHS have their suspicions), it is not a given that it will all end up improving the infrastructure of the health service.
His team think the referendum result was down to deep-rooted unhappiness in many communities, and they believe it's essential they deliver solutions - not least regarding many people's number one priority, healthcare. During the past five years, about £5bn less has been spent on capital than had been planned for. This is because significant sums - about a sixth of the capital budget - have been transferred into the day-to-day running pot to help balance the books.
Labour sees this announcement as window-dressing - a drop in the ocean which won't fix years of cuts in the NHS. The truth is it will be at the end of the financial year only that we will be able to see whether this promised money has gone where it should - and even if it does, it could be argued it is just reversing the cuts seen in the past few years.
But after a domestic spending blitz in his first fortnight, Mr Johnson has offered voters a taster of what he plans to do with power. Read more from Nick here
His team won't entertain the idea of a general election before Brexit.
But with the spending taps back on, many think the new prime minister may well be tempted to go to the country sooner rather than later.
Responding to the funding announcement, the Health Foundation said "years of under-investment in the NHS's infrastructure means this extra money risks being little more than a drop in the ocean".Responding to the funding announcement, the Health Foundation said "years of under-investment in the NHS's infrastructure means this extra money risks being little more than a drop in the ocean".
Ben Gershlick, from the charity, added that NHS facilities in England were "in major disrepair", with a £6bn maintenance backlog.Ben Gershlick, from the charity, added that NHS facilities in England were "in major disrepair", with a £6bn maintenance backlog.
Labour's shadow health secretary, Jonathan Ashworth, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme there was "huge scepticism" about whether the funding was new, suggesting it came from money previously promised to hospitals for cutting costs. Labour's shadow health secretary, Jonathan Ashworth, said there was "huge scepticism" about whether the funding was new.
Earlier he said the government's willingness to leave the EU without a deal would be "a catastrophe" for the NHS, especially as the expected 31 October deadline coincides with the pressures of winter. Meanwhile, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said the announcement today on funding for the NHS "goes nowhere near paying for all the cuts over the past nine years".
'Reversing cuts' Mr Corbyn said "many hospitals had been left off" and "we need something a bit more comprehensive".
Sally Warren, director of health think tank the King's Fund, said the announcement gave the NHS "new spending power". But the head of NHS England, Simon Stevens, said the money was a "significant start" to "much needed capital investment".
"At one level yes it is new money - if the Treasury today were not providing this money, NHS trusts would not be able to spend this £1.8bn," she said. "The concrete steps being set out this week will mean investment flows directly to front-line services, providing new clinics and wards," he added.
"But another view is that actually - particularly the £1bn that's been announced today - is really reversing cuts that trusts were asked to make this year." The government said other parts of the UK would benefit too.
The head of NHS England, Simon Stevens, said the money was a "significant start" to "much needed capital investment". Health is devolved, so Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland make decisions about spending on the NHS.
"The concrete steps being set out this week will mean investment flows directly to frontline services, providing new clinics and wards," he added. But under funding rules there would be money made available to them, ministers said.
Later this week, the health secretary is also expected to announce changes to the NHS pension scheme after senior doctors said new rules meant they could not afford to work extra shifts to tackle waiting lists. Later this week, the government is also expected to announce changes to the NHS pension scheme after senior doctors said new rules meant they could not afford to work extra shifts to tackle waiting lists.
One hospital said the rule change, which means "punitive" taxes for doctors who take additional shifts and exceed the limit for pensions contributions, was the equivalent of losing 60 consultants.One hospital said the rule change, which means "punitive" taxes for doctors who take additional shifts and exceed the limit for pensions contributions, was the equivalent of losing 60 consultants.
Mr Johnson has previously pledged to resolve the problem.Mr Johnson has previously pledged to resolve the problem.
The 20 NHS trusts receiving funding for hospital upgrades are:The 20 NHS trusts receiving funding for hospital upgrades are:
• Luton & Dunstable University Hospital - £99.5m for a new block in Luton to provide critical and intensive care, as well as a delivery suite and operating theatres• Luton & Dunstable University Hospital - £99.5m for a new block in Luton to provide critical and intensive care, as well as a delivery suite and operating theatres
• Norfolk & Norwich University Hospitals - £69.7m to provide diagnostic and assessment centres in Norwich, Great Yarmouth and King's Lynn for cancer and non-cancerous disease• Norfolk & Norwich University Hospitals - £69.7m to provide diagnostic and assessment centres in Norwich, Great Yarmouth and King's Lynn for cancer and non-cancerous disease
• Norfolk and Suffolk - £40m to build four new hospital wards in Norwich, providing 80 beds• Norfolk and Suffolk - £40m to build four new hospital wards in Norwich, providing 80 beds
• South Norfolk Clinical Commissioning Group - £25.2m to develop and improve primary care services in South Norfolk.• South Norfolk Clinical Commissioning Group - £25.2m to develop and improve primary care services in South Norfolk.
• University Hospitals Birmingham - £97.1m to provide a new purpose-built hospital facility replacing outdated outpatient, treatment and diagnostic accommodation• University Hospitals Birmingham - £97.1m to provide a new purpose-built hospital facility replacing outdated outpatient, treatment and diagnostic accommodation
• United Lincolnshire Hospitals - £21.3m to develop urgent and emergency care zones in A&E• United Lincolnshire Hospitals - £21.3m to develop urgent and emergency care zones in A&E
• Wye Valley - £23.6m to provide new hospital wards in Hereford, providing 72 beds• Wye Valley - £23.6m to provide new hospital wards in Hereford, providing 72 beds
• University Hospitals of North Midlands - £17.6m to three new modern wards to improve capacity in Stoke, delivering approximately 84 beds for this winter• University Hospitals of North Midlands - £17.6m to three new modern wards to improve capacity in Stoke, delivering approximately 84 beds for this winter
• Barking, Havering and Redbridge CCGs and North East London - £17m to develop a new health and wellbeing hub in north east London• Barking, Havering and Redbridge CCGs and North East London - £17m to develop a new health and wellbeing hub in north east London
• Croydon Health Services - £12.7m to extend and refurbish critical care units at the Croydon University Hospital• Croydon Health Services - £12.7m to extend and refurbish critical care units at the Croydon University Hospital
• South Yorkshire and Bassetlaw Integrated Care System - £57.5m for primary care investment across South Yorkshire and Bassetlaw• South Yorkshire and Bassetlaw Integrated Care System - £57.5m for primary care investment across South Yorkshire and Bassetlaw
• The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals - £41.7m to improve paediatric cardiac services in the north east• The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals - £41.7m to improve paediatric cardiac services in the north east
• Leeds Teaching Hospitals - £12m to provide a single laboratory information management system across West Yorkshire and Harrogate, covering all pathology disciplines• Leeds Teaching Hospitals - £12m to provide a single laboratory information management system across West Yorkshire and Harrogate, covering all pathology disciplines
• Greater Manchester Mental Health - £72.3m to build a new adult mental health inpatient unit in Manchester• Greater Manchester Mental Health - £72.3m to build a new adult mental health inpatient unit in Manchester
• Mersey Care - £33m to provide a new 40-bed low secure unit for people with learning disabilities• Mersey Care - £33m to provide a new 40-bed low secure unit for people with learning disabilities
• Stockport - £30.6m to provide a new emergency care campus development at Stepping Hill Hospital in Stockport, incorporating an urgent treatment centre, GP assessment unit and planned investigation unit• Stockport - £30.6m to provide a new emergency care campus development at Stepping Hill Hospital in Stockport, incorporating an urgent treatment centre, GP assessment unit and planned investigation unit
• Wirral Clinical Commissioning Group - £18m to improve patient flow by improving access via the urgent treatment centre• Wirral Clinical Commissioning Group - £18m to improve patient flow by improving access via the urgent treatment centre
• Tameside and Glossop Integrated Care - £16.3m to provide emergency and urgent care facilities at Tameside General Hospital in Ashton-under-Lyne• Tameside and Glossop Integrated Care - £16.3m to provide emergency and urgent care facilities at Tameside General Hospital in Ashton-under-Lyne
• Isle of Wight - £48m to redesign acute services for Isle of Wight residents• Isle of Wight - £48m to redesign acute services for Isle of Wight residents
• Royal Cornwall Hospitals - £99.9m to build a new women and children's hospital in Truro• Royal Cornwall Hospitals - £99.9m to build a new women and children's hospital in Truro