NHS Trusts to receive share of £600m to upgrade and refurbish hospitals

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has announced £600 million in funding to help upgrade and refurbish NHS hospitals in England.

This latest investment forms part of the £1.5 billion capital funding announced by Prime Minister Boris Johnson in the summer to help the NHS build back better, which included plans to improve infection control ahead of winter.

The funding will see NHS hospitals refurbished to tackle critical maintenance work, with the investment targeted towards a range of projects including building new or refurbished buildings to deliver key services; upgrades to electrical infrastructure; improvements to ventilation systems; works to improve fire safety; and replacing hospital lifts.

178 NHS Trusts will receive a share of the £600 million, covering almost 1,800 maintenance projects. The projects are now underway and will be completed by March 2021.

Secretary of State for Health and Social Care Matt Hancock said: “Alongside delivering on our manifesto commitment to build 40 new hospitals and 20 major hospital upgrades across the country, this investment will help our NHS build back better.

“These crucial maintenance projects will deliver immediate benefits and provide NHS staff with the facilities they need to provide world-class care to their patients this winter, helping ensure the NHS is always there for you when you need it.”

The projects include £15.9 million for a new critical care centre at Northampton General Hospital and £3.3 million to Croydon Health Services NHS Trust for a new paediatric integrated unit.

The full list of funding allocations can be found here

NHS Trusts were provided an initial allocation based on need and were asked to put forward suitable projects that would deliver maximum impact and the best value for money, and could be completed by March 2021. The successful projects are evenly distributed across England, with more than half of projects in the Midlands, North East and Yorkshire; and North West regions.

Since August last year, the UK Government has announced a series of investments into the NHS, including £850 million to upgrade 20 hospitals and £3.7 billion to help deliver 40 new hospitals by 2030.