Government agrees with new hospital programme recommendation

As previously reported, concerns have been raised regarding funds to build a new hospital for Basingstoke after the Government’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC) reported that the £22bn funding for the national programme does not include the eight hospitals in cohort 4 which have been delayed.

READ MORE: Basingstoke Gazette launches campaign to 'Build Our Hospital'

The PAC said there appears to be “insufficient funding for DHSC to build all the hospitals it plans, and to an adequate size, by 2030”.

It recommended that the DHSC and HM Treasury should “agree explicitly and in writing whether the pre-2030 costs of eight delayed cohort 4 schemes are to be met from the current funding envelope”.

The Government said it agrees with the committee’s recommendation and has set a ‘target implementation date’ for May 2024.

Its response said: “The Government agrees that the NHP’s (New Hospital Programme) plan and costs should be realistic and deliverable.”

SEE ALSO: Government confirms new hospital funding has not been agreed

The department said it has provided all schemes with an indicative funding on which they can base their programme plans, adding: "All trusts will still need to go through business case approval processes.”

It said the NHP is constantly reviewing assumptions on the size of future hospitals, adding: “The NHP is developing a third version of the programme business case with different options, as is usual practice, with a view to securing approval through the government’s Major Projects Review Group by May 2024 and confirming funding through future Spending Review processes.

“Once agreed with HM Treasury, the intention is for the programme business case to include a specific amount of proposed funding for the pre-2030 costs of the eight schemes expected to complete after 2030. The government remains committed to all schemes in the NHP, including those expected to complete after 2030.”

Basingstoke MP Maria Miller said:  ‘’I welcome the response to the Public Affairs Committee report re-confirming the Government commitment to every hospital on the New Hospitals Programme, which includes the brand-new hospital for Basingstoke. The report specifically says that 'the government remains committed to all schemes in the NHP, including those expected to complete after 2030', consistent with the Government's national announcement in May last year, and the NHS letter this month confirming funding for Basingstoke’s new hospital. 

‘’The Government’s response highlights the importance of programme costs being realistic and deliverable, which is important for Basingstoke because proper, robust cost control by the NHS from the start means that taxpayers will receive value for money, that delays are minimised and there is sufficient funding for all of the much needed hospitals. 

‘’Unlike other new hospitals, we have moved to public consultation, because the NHS has confidence funding will be available for the plans in Basingstoke. So right now the priority is getting as many people as possible involved in the consultation to ensure our plan is the best it can be and I urge everyone to take part now before the consultation closes on 17 March.’’

The news comes after the Gazette launched a campaign to 'Build Our Hospital', to secure a commitment from the Government for funding for the new hospital and to deliver it sooner than 2032.