Promise to build 40 new hospitals will be broken, ministers admit
The Conservative manifesto pledge to build 40 new hospitals by 2030 will be missed, ministers have admitted.
The pledge was a key plank of the 2019 manifesto, but so far only two have opened, with five others under construction.
Steve Barclay, the health secretary, confirmed yesterday that eight of the projects had been pushed back until after 2030, as billions of pounds earmarked for new NHS sites was being diverted to stop existing hospitals falling down.
The Conservative manifesto pledge to build 40 new hospitals by 2030 will be missed, ministers have admitted.
The pledge was a key plank of the 2019 manifesto, but so far only two have opened, with five others under construction.
Steve Barclay, the health secretary, confirmed yesterday that eight of the projects had been pushed back until after 2030, as billions of pounds earmarked for new NHS sites was being diverted to stop existing hospitals falling down.
Hospitals denied funding include St Mary’s in London, which was due to be entirely rebuilt and is in a “deteriorating” condition, with staff working in buildings constructed as stables in 1878.
Long-planned new hospitals in Nottingham, East Sussex, Hampshire, Berkshire, Preston and north Devon have also been delayed.
The government was told the pledge would cost £35bn, but only £20bn was allocated.
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