Royal Cornwall Hospital set to get £99.9m cash boost

The proposed £100m women's and children's unit will be built between two existing buildings on the Royal Cornwall Hospital site

The Royal Cornwall Hospital is in line to receive £99.9m for a new women's and children's unit.

The money will come from extra NHS funding announced by Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Sunday.

The unit will replace the existing children's wards and a maternity unit that bosses say came to the end of its useful life 10 years ago when metal bands were needed to hold it together.

Hospital chief executive Kate Shields said the new unit may be open by 2024.

Head of midwifery Jane Urben said the announcement was "brilliant news for families and our future generations".

The new unit will be built between two existing buildings on the Royal Cornwall Hospital site at Treliske, near Truro.

The four-storey building will have a new main entrance for the hospital on the ground floor, while the current maternity unit will become a multi-storey car park.

The new four-storey building will replace a maternity unit that has been held together with metal bands for 10 years

Ms Shields said: "We need to make sure that women in Cornwall can have their babies in Cornwall."

Sarah Newton, MP for Truro and Falmouth said the announcement was "a great reflection" on health leaders in Cornwall.

But sceptics accused Mr Johnson of being "on the campaign trail".

Ruth Gripper, Liberal Democrat prospective parliamentary candidate for the constituency, said: "Instead of politicians giving one-off cash injections at election time, what the NHS really needs is proper, long-term investment."

Former Lib Dem MP Andrew George, from Save our NHS Cornwall, added: "Of course any new money for the NHS is welcome ... but this is mostly aimed at marginal seats prior to a much-anticipated general election."

Mr Johnson said: "The vital investment in this new centre will ensure more women, children and babies living in Cornwall are receiving the best possible care."

The hospital is one of 20 across the country set to share £850m of new funding to upgrade outdated facilities and equipment.