New Hospitals Programme: Timetable Delays Push Projects Beyond 2030

Summary

The UK’s New Hospitals Programme, initially promising 40 new hospitals by 2030, has been revised with a more realistic timetable and funding plan. Delays mean some projects won’t begin construction until after 2030, extending completion well beyond the initial target. While the revised plan provides more certainty, concerns remain about rising costs and potential further delays.

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So, you’ve probably heard about the UK’s New Hospitals Programme, right? It was this massive undertaking launched back in 2019, promising a shiny 40 new hospitals by 2030. A real game changer, or so they said. But, it’s not quite working out as planned.

You see, the initial pledge from Boris Johnson, well, it seems it was a bit, shall we say, optimistic. The current administration has basically said it was unrealistic, and more to the point, underfunded. Wes Streeting, the Health Secretary, has recently come out with a revised plan, acknowledging all the delays. He’s calling it a more ‘honest, realistic, and deliverable’ approach. Honestly, I’m not sure what to think, but he’s right about it being more realistic. That said, it means pushing completion dates way past 2030, which naturally, is raising a lot of eyebrows about the long-term impact on the NHS and, most importantly, patients.

There’s more to it than just a delay though, the original plan faced quite a bit of criticism, it turns out that some of the ‘new hospitals’ were just refurbishments or extensions. So, not actually new hospitals, which really misrepresents what’s going on, doesn’t it? Then, if that weren’t enough, it came out that there wasn’t enough funding to meet the 2030 deadline. Projections showed they’d run out of resources by March 2025! Even the Infrastructure Projects Authority (IPA) called the whole thing “unachievable” in their report, citing big issues with scheduling and the budget. It’s a bit of a mess, to be frank.

The new plan uses a phased approach, breaking the projects down into five-year ‘waves’ of investment. HM Treasury is now committing up to £15 billion per wave, about £3 billion annually from 2030 onwards. This, they hope, will offer better financial stability. Still, the extended timeframe raises questions about the potential for cost increases due to inflation, you know how it goes.

They haven’t cancelled any projects, which is something, but the new schedule seriously affects the delivery dates. The top priority is seven hospitals built with RAAC – that’s reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete, a material that, let’s be honest, has a limited lifespan, and is frankly a bit worrying for safety. These projects are getting addressed first, focusing on the high-risk bits to keep patients and staff safe, quite rightly.

The remaining projects have been allocated to different ‘waves’ with staggered start dates. Some might start in 2025 or 2026, but others, unfortunately, face delays until 2039 or even later, can you imagine? This naturally has caused disappointment among NHS staff, leaders, and patients who were eager for better facilities. I heard a story from a nurse friend the other day, they were so excited about the possibility of a new ward. It’s a real shame.

While the revised schedule is more transparent and offers a realistic assessment of the program, it highlights the impact of years of underfunding in NHS infrastructure. They are saying they are still committed to rebuilding the NHS and tackling the maintenance and repair backlog caused by those funding issues. We’ll see how that goes.

There are also larger issues at play here, the New Hospitals Programme shines a light on broader challenges with UK building regulations and the construction industry in general. For instance, the Building Safety Act 2022 which was rolled out between October 2023 and April 2024, has brought in significant changes, especially for high-rise buildings. This is largely down to the Grenfell Tower tragedy, so it’s understandable there’s a renewed focus on safety and accountability.

The revised timetable also coincides with changes to building control regulations, including a revised definition of “commencement” of building work. Building control approval now lapses automatically after three years if work hasn’t started. Also, projects submitted before June 15, 2022, but not started by June 15, 2023, might need updates to meet current building regulations – stricter standards for insulation, ventilation and electric vehicle charging, and that sort of thing.

All this shows just how complex these massive construction projects can be. The revised timetable acknowledges the delays, but it also seeks a more sustainable, transparent path forward. It’s a challenging situation but at the end of the day, it’s about delivering the healthcare infrastructure the country desperately needs. Continued scrutiny and effective management will be key if they want to stay on track. It does make you wonder, doesn’t it, if all this could have been avoided with more realistic planning from the get-go?