Major hospital upgrades on hold - health secretary

The health boss said the NHS was going through the "worst crisis of its history"

Plans to upgrade four major hospitals across Devon and Cornwall are on hold after the government announced a review into a hospitals building scheme.

The government said the New Hospital Programme was under review because of funding constraints, meaning the project to build a new Women's and Children's Hospital in Cornwall was in doubt.

Speaking to BBC Radio Cornwall, Wes Streeting said the NHS was "going through the worst crisis of its history". He added Derriford Hospital, in Plymouth, had some "real challenges".

The health secretary said MPs in Cornwall had been "making a case" for the county's hospitals.

NHS 'broken'

Plans for Derriford Hospital, Torbay Hospital, North Devon District Hospital and the Women and Children's Hospital in Cornwall are all at risk under the review.

He said the NHS "is broken" but a more realistic assessment was needed to establish when upgrades could be delivered.

Streeting said money to fund the programme was "due to run out" in March and timetables for the project were a "work of fiction".

"I thought it was important to do a proper review of the programme to be able to come forward with a more honest and realistic assessment of when we will be able to deliver," he said.

"I know for people in Truro and nearby, that won't be a source of great comfort because people will be waiting for the outcome of a review."

Challenges 'taken seriously'

He said a number of MPs, including Labour MP Jane Kirkham for Truro and Falmouth, had been "making a case for Cornwall".

Streeting said he visited Derriford Hospital and he took its challenges "really seriously".

The government said 20 schemes would be able to proceed and would not be part of the review.

However, it added all options would be looked at for the remaining 25.