London hospital buildings in unacceptable state

Looking around the dilapidated wards of Hillingdon Hospital in north-west London, Health minister Karin Smyth says she “knows people deserve better services”.

“I’m from Hillingdon, so I really do understand the difficulties that staff are working in here,” she told BBC London.

Hillingdon was the only London trust to get the go-ahead for a new hospital as part of the current New Hospital Programme. Ms Smyth said the state of hospital buildings across London was “unacceptable”.

London’s hospitals have been given about £160m of emergency cash from an Estates Safety Fund to try to keep them running until they can be replaced, but trusts say the money is not enough to cover the repairs needed.

Ms Smyth said: “We know there’s been disappointment, a lot of delays, but this new government has got on with the review – we want to see this got on with now.”

She added: “When we came in as a new government last July, there wasn’t funding for any of these schemes beyond March.

“We understand the disappointment in other communities – but we have sought to put this programme now on a firm financial footing for the first time. That didn’t happen before.”

Whipps Cross Hospital in Leytonstone, east London, is not dissimilar to Hillingdon.

Shane DeGaris, the chief executive of Barts Health NHS Trust, described it as having “really substandard facilities”.

It was due to be rebuilt by 2026, but following a review of the New Hospitals Programme, the work has been delayed. Now the only part to be rebuilt before 2033 is the car park.

The trust estimates the delays to rebuilding the hospital will cost £200m.

At St Mary’s Hospital in Paddington, west London, walls are crumbling around patients.

The government has delayed the building of a new hospital there until 2035.

In the meantime, the hospital’s trust has been given £25m from the government for repairs to energy systems, electrical systems, water systems, ventilation systems, fire safety works and drainage works.

But this must be shared between St Mary’s, Charing Cross and Hammersmith hospitals.

The trust estimates it will spend over £100m on repairs at St Mary’s Hospital alone until it is rebuilt.

St Helier Hospital, in south London, was given the go-ahead for a new hospital in 2020, but that has now been delayed until 2033.

The hospital, which opened in 1941, recently reported having to knock down a ward due to sinking foundations and windows falling out.

The trust that runs it, Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust, said: “Our ageing hospitals are deteriorating faster than we can fix them.”

It estimates the costs of the delays to upgrades needed to both St Helier, and Epsom hospitals will amount to an additional £150m a year.

It has been given £12m as part of the Estates Safety Fund.

Last month, Ken Welch, former director of facilities, estates and supplies at St Helier Hospital, said the condition of the buildings raised serious concerns.

“I’ve seen a lot in 30 years working in the NHS, but the condition of the buildings at St Helier is among the worst,” he said.

“I’m seriously concerned about the risk of fire, particularly with the growing use of corridor care. But most of all, I’m worried about the safety of the patients.”