28.03.18
STPs to receive £760m capital funding to transform buildings and services
The government is to invest £760m in modernising and transforming the NHS’ buildings and services ahead of the health service’s 70th birthday in July.
Announced by Jeremy Hunt today, the investment is the biggest of its kind in the NHS over the last 10 years.
The money will go towards programmes to meet high demand, including new urgent care centres and refurbishing mental health facilities.
The Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin STP will receive the lion’s share of the money, getting £300m to transform its local hospital services.
Other smaller projects that will be supported include £6m to upgrade services of eight Yorkshire trusts, £8m for a new health and wellbeing centre in Kent, £13m for two urgent care centres in Newton Abbot and Torquay, as well as a few million pounds for local London NHS services.
“As the NHS approaches its 70th birthday, we are backing it with one of the largest capital programmes in NHS history,” the health and social care secretary explained.
“As well as a whole new emergency care development in Shropshire, we are backing local NHS services with new buildings, beds and wards so that staff who have been working incredibly hard over winter can have confidence we are expanding capacity for the future.
“Further major projects are also under consideration across the country and we intend to announce one large scale scheme the size of the Shrewsbury and Telford plan every year going forward based on high-quality plans coming forward from local NHS leaders.”
On top of this, Whitehall is releasing £150m to support the NHS’ work to become more efficient, including the use of a digital programme that helps the NHS use its workforce better, better use energy in hospitals and improve pharmacy IT and admin systems.
The full list of STPs receiving capital funding can be found below:
Top image: Peter Byrne PA Wire