Anger over hospital build programme review

Hospitals in Plymouth, North Devon and Torbay have projects that are now under review

A Devon MP has hit out at the government following the announcement of a review into the building of new hospitals.

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

Hospitals in Plymouth, North Devon and Torbay have projects included within the scheme, announced by the Conservative government in 2019.

MP for Torbay Steve Darling said the review would delay long-overdue upgrades to the town's hospital, adding the delays "are simply not good enough".

Darling has written to Health Secretary Wes Streeting again, having already written regarding the fact the previous hospital rebuild did not go far enough.

"Our community should not have to wait for basic improvements to facilities that are already putting patients at risk," he said.

“The previous Conservative government promised that the new hospital programme would deliver, but instead, these commitments were hollow without funding," he added.

"Torbay Hospital is now at risk of being placed on the backburner, and our community cannot wait any longer."

The announcement of the review was outlined by the Chancellor Rachel Reeves on 29 July and the terms of reference for the review were agreed with the chief secretary of the treasury.

Derriford Hospital is among those with a building project that is now under review

Torbay Hospital said it welcomed the "assurance from the government of their commitment to the programme".

Torbay Hospital said: "We will continue to work with the government with the aim of securing the funding we need to build a new hospital for the people of Torbay and South Devon, fit for modern healthcare services."

Lib Dem MP Ian Roome for North Devon said operating theatres at North Devon District Hospital were "50-years old", adding it was "not tenable" to "keep moving the goal posts".

"We really, critically need this," he said.

Plymouth MP Fred Thomas said he was campaigning hard to get the new projects at Derriford Hospital delivered.

The Labour MP said: "Derriford staff are doing a great job and cracking on and keeping the building going the best that they can.

"It is great to see news coming so positively out of Derriford with the new Dartmoor building which has gone up quickly."

University Hospitals Plymouth's future hospital director Stuart Windsor said while the review was in progress, it would "continue to work positively" with the new programme and local stakeholders to progress the development scheme.

"Our target remains to start the construction of the new building in the spring of 2025."

He added the first steps would be opening the new Dartmoor building, which is set to house a new urgent treatment centre and also relocate the fracture clinic.