2 October 2020
Responding to the confirmation of £3.7bn of capital funding to build 40 new hospitals, President of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine, Dr Katherine Henderson said:
“Capital funding to build news hospitals is very welcome, but more welcome is the commitment of £850 million to upgrade outdated facilities and equipment at a further 20 hospitals.
“Before work begins on building any new hospitals, the hospitals we do have must be repaired and enabled to provide high quality, 21st century care.
“It is particularly important that upgrades occur in the most deprived areas of the country; helping to ‘level up’ the country and reduce the health inequalities that have affected far too many for so long.
“In the process of building any new hospitals, we would encourage the Government and NHS to strongly consider expanding acute services around Emergency Departments, making access to these services easier for patients.
“While the Health Infrastructure Plan is exciting and welcome, more work is needed to address the underlying problems most hospitals face; a lack of beds, staff and adequate social care to discharge patients to.”
