Old buildings and out of date facilities are costing the NHS dear

“We operate 21st century healthcare from 19th century buildings. It is increasingly unsustainable.” So said one NHS leader responding to NHS Providers’ survey of trusts included in the government’s flagship New Hospital Programme (NHP), underpinned by its manifesto commitment to build 40 new hospitals by 2030.Against a backdrop of ongoing political turbulence that has seen a recent change of health secretary and a Conservative party leadership campaign, and just as the National Audit Office said that it will launch a review into the NHP, it’s vital that the problems of capital investment in the NHS are tackled urgently.Last week’s sweltering temperatures have shown that the NHS estate is not built to cope with extreme weather. Some trusts, for example, had to scale back the number of planned operations as theatres got too hot.Delays and growing concerns about the lack of progress and funding, however, mean that what was billed as…
Read Original Article: Old buildings and out of date facilities are costing the NHS dear »