Hope new hospital will be priority after review

The CEO said there was strong support from Cornwall MPs and the Isles of Scilly

The boss of a hospital trust said a project to build a new Women and Children's Hospital in Cornwall could be first in line following the outcome of a government review.

The government said the New Hospital Programme was under review because of funding constraints.

Chief executive of the Royal Cornwall Hospitals Trust (RCHT) Steve Williamson said he hoped the Cornwall project would be "first in the list" to go ahead when the review comes to a close.

But Healthwatch Cornwall CEO Debbie Gilbert said: "Cornwall always seems to be an afterthought when it comes to government spending."

'Tough decisions'

Mr Williamson said the trust was "bitterly disappointed" when it was told the site was part of the review.

He said the site in Cornwall had been "20 years in the making".

"It's a really important project," he said.

"We were bitterly disappointed when we didn't have approval to immediately go ahead and we were told that we were going to be part of the wider review of the new hospital programme."

However, the health boss said the trust was looking at the situation with "optimism".

He said: "We've got strong support from all of the MPs in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly.

"I'm sure there is going to be some really tough decisions across all of the new hospital projects across the country."

Mr Williamson said the trust was determined to do whatever it could to "advocate for" the plan as it was "such an important project for people across Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly".

He said it "must go ahead".

'Devastating blow'

The CEO said about £15m had already been spent on enabling work to get the site ready for the project.

He said funding to build a pathology unit was yet to be approved.

Ms Gilbert said the review announcement was a "devastating blow to the people of Cornwall".

She added: "The fact this essential facility may never come to fruition is both shocking and just frankly deeply disappointing."

Plans for Derriford Hospital, Torbay Hospital and North Devon District Hospital are also at risk under the review.