Barts Health to receive £28 million from NHS building safety pot
Whipps Cross and Newham hospitals are getting £28 million from the government to help fix and improve buildings on the estates. This is part of a £750 million fund to make NHS hospitals across the country safer and better for patients and staff. The money will be used to fix things like leaking roofs, broken ventilation systems, and old electrical systems.
Simon Corben, the director of estates and facilities at NHS England, welcomed the funding, describing it as a “long-overdue step toward tackling the unacceptable state of parts of the NHS estate”.
At Whipps Cross Hospital, the money will help fix buildings while staff and patients continue to wait for a new hospital to be built. Whipps Cross is one of the hospitals affected by delays to new hospital plans announced earlier this year.
At Newham Hospital, the funding will go towards important fire safety works that will help to ensure the hospital remains a safe environment for everyone who uses it.
Dr Amanjit Jhund, chief executive of Whipps Cross, said:
“While we still need a new hospital, this investment is a welcome step and reflection of the real need for significant improvements to our estates. It allows us to make urgent repairs now, so we can keep looking after patients safely.”
Simon Ashton, chief executive of Newham Hospital, said:
“This funding means we can continue to carry out vital fire safety upgrades and make real improvements to our hospital environment for staff and patients."