Boris Johnson visiting the Northern Centre for Cancer Care, which opened in 2021 (Image: Getty Images)
In 2020, then Prime Minister Boris Johnson pledged to build 40 new hospitals in England by 2030 as part of a programme worth £3.7 billion. This was promised to be the “biggest” hospital building programme “in a generation”.
Still in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, Mr Johnson vowed to “build back better” and ensure more people had access to “top-class healthcare”.
But what has actually been achieved since the scheme was announced?
Under the new hospital programme (NHP), a new hospital can be defined as:
- A whole new hospital, on a new or current site
- A major new clinical building or wing, existing site
- A major refurbishment and alteration, existing site.
And since the commitment was made some alterations were introduced, including eight new projects added and seven hospitals found to need urgent replacement due to RAAC (reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete) being used – pushing other projects further down the line.
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Boris Johnson visiting the Northern Centre for Cancer Care, one of seven projects that have opened (Image: Getty)
Based on the original list of 40 hospitals, Express.co.uk contacted each hospital trust to establish where every project currently was, just under four years down the line.
From this it is apparent that not all 40 will be completed within the original timeline. However, the majority are on track to be finished on time, and some are already completed and in operation.
According to the responses gathered by Express.co.uk , seven of the original 40 hospital projects are already open to the public, either in full or partly.
This includes the Northern Centre for Cancer Care in North Cumbria, which opened in 2021, and the Greater Manchester Major Trauma Hospital, which opened just last month.
Of the 40 original projects, 30 are still scheduled to be completed by 2030.
However, some are delayed until after 2030, including those that were pushed back after locations with RAAC took priority.
Some projects have been pushed back after sites with unsafe RAAC were priorotised (Image: Getty)
Based on the responses from hospital trusts, Express.co.uk learned that six of the projects will not be completed in time.
Concerning the remaining four projects, it was unclear whether these would be ready in time with some hospital trusts stating they could not commit to a definite timeline.
Among the projects that will not be completed in time were Whipps Cross University Hospital in London and a new hospital at Basingstoke and North Hampshire Hospital.
In 2023 the National Audit Office (NAO) conducted a thorough audit into the programme, to see whether it would be delivered on time.
It noted that in 2020 there was an “absence of key decisions” about the NHP’s funding and “approach to construction”.
“It is unsurprising that when Government finally took decisions, it required major changes to NHP’s scope,” the audit said.
It concluded: “By the definition the government used in 2020, it will not now deliver 40 new hospitals by 2030.”
The National Audit Office said in a report the 40 hospital projects would not be completed by 2030 (Image: Getty)
The audit was also critical of the project’s financial state.
By March 2023, the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) had spent around £1.1 billion on NHP and the schemes it oversees, the audit said.
It said: “Government has not achieved good value for money with NHP so far.”
When asked to comment on the progress and cost of the new hospital programme so far, the DHSC declined.
However, they told http://Express.co.uk : “The new hospital programme will continue operational delivery and work with NHS trusts on the design and construction of new hospitals in line with general election guidance issued to the civil service and the NHS.”
But the Conservative party claimed it would hit the original targets.
“The Conservatives will deliver 40 new hospitals by 2030,” a party spokesman said.
“Six new hospitals are open to patients already, two more will open shortly and 18 are currently in construction.
“In addition, to cut waiting lists we have opened 160 community diagnostic centres which are delivering millions of additional scans, checks and tests, and are committed to building 50 more.
“Meanwhile Keir Starmer’s no new hospitals pledge would pause and delay every single one of them, putting their future at risk and denying better care for patients.
“Rishi Sunak and the Conservatives have a clear plan and will take the bold action needed to deliver the best possible NHS care to patients for decades to come. Keir Starmer and Labour would put this at risk, taking the country back to square one.”
In response, a Labour spokesperson said: “Labour’s manifesto commits to delivering the new hospital programme.
“It’s the Conservatives who have failed to build the hospitals in the last five years, and will fail to build any in the next five years if they win the election. Just as they have failed to cut waiting lists, and failed to end the NHS strikes.
“Only Labour has a plan to deliver the change our NHS needs.”
Hospital projects that have already opened
- Northern Centre for Cancer Care in North Cumbria – opened in August 2021
- Royal Liverpool Hospital – January 2023
- Regional Centre for Teaching, Trauma and Tertiary Care at Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton – part of it opened in June 2023
- Sycamore Unit at Northgate Hospital – October 2023
- Greater Manchester Major Trauma Hospital – May 2024
- New facilities at University Hospitals of Leicester – part of it opened in 2023
- The Dyson Cancer Centre at the Royal United Hospitals (RUH) Bath – April 2024.
Projects on track for 2030
- Midland Metropolitan Hospital
- Moorfields Eye Hospital, London
- Defence and National Rehabilitation Centre, Midlands
- Watford General Hospital
- Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals
- Leeds General Infirmary
- West Suffolk Hospital
- Milton Keynes Hospital
- Hillingdon Hospital, North West London
- St Ann’s Hospital, Dorset
- North Manchester General Hospital
- Dorchester Community Hospital, Dorset
- Poole Community Hospital, Dorset
- North Devon District Hospital
- James Paget Hospital, Great Yarmouth
- Kettering General Hospital, Midlands
- Bournemouth Community Hospital, Dorset
- Torbay District General, Torquay
- Addenbrookes Cancer Hospital, Cambridge
- Cornwall Children’s Hospital
- Derriford Emergency Care Hospital, Plymouth
- Christchurch Community hospital, Dorset
- Shotley Bridge Hospital, Durham.
Projects that will not open by 2030
- Princess Alexandra Hospital, Harlow
- Whipps Cross University Hospital, North East London
- Royal Berkshire Hospital, Reading
- New hospital at Basingstoke and North Hampshire Hospital and major refurbishment at Royal Hampshire Hospital in Winchester
- Queen’s Medical Centre, Nottingham City Hospital
- Royal Preston and Lancaster Royal Infirmary.
Projects that have unclear timelines
New hospital at Eastbourne, new medical wards and refurbishment at Conquest, new clinical building at Bexhill, in East Sussex
Online it says: the “vast majority of the redevelopment” would be completed by 2030. However, East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust would not provide a date to http://Express.co.uk and commented: “We continue to work with the new hospital programme team on developing our scheme and associated enabling works.”
Rebuild of Musgrove Park Hospital, Somerset
Work is currently underway at this site with the roof built in January this year but a spokesperson for Somerset NHS Foundation Trust said: “We are working closely with the new hospital programme on our scheme to confirm plans, funding arrangements and timescales.”
St Mary’s Hospital, London
Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust told http://Express.co.uk it is awaiting the outcome of a business case submitted to the NHP in January 2024 for funding to begin detailed design and planning for the St Mary’s redevelopment.
Rebuild of Hammersmith Hospital, new clinical academic redevelopment near ICL White City Campus, floor-by-floor refurbishment of Charing Cross, London
Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust said it is continuing to develop first stage business cases, to be submitted this year.