AS we reported on Sunday, the Conservatives’ pledge to build 40 new hospitals by 2030 is facing a review by the government’s spending watchdog. 

The National Audit Office says it “plans to start a value for money review of the New Hospitals Programme later this year” and report its findings in 2023. 

The pledge was in the 2019 Conservative election manifesto and has been repeated many times by Boris Johnson.

The BBC asked the Chief Executive of Princess Alexandra Hospital (PAH) Lance McCarthy for an update on how plans for a new hospital were

Lance McCarthy, said: “Our current plans are for a new hospital on a new site. However, our business case has not yet been approved.
“We are unable to confirm which category we fall into until we have received final approval.”

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What is a new hospital?

When, the pledge was first made – many would have assumed that it referred to brand new hospitals, adding to overall hospital capacity.

But in August 2021, the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) sent out guidance to NHS trusts on “key media lines” to use when responding to questions about the pledge.

It defined a “new” hospital in three ways:

A whole new hospital on a new site or current NHS land.

A major new clinical building on an existing site or a new wing of an existing hospital

A major refurbishment and alteration of all but the building frame or main structure

To be continued