Health Secretary Patricia Hewitt today launched a map illustrating for the first time the massive investment in the fabric of the NHS.
This map shows how communities in every region of the country has benefited from the new hospitals, GP surgeries, health centres and clinics which have opened since 1997.
All regions of the country have had new facilities open as part of the ?10.6 billion investment, with deprived communities having seen the greatest transformation in their services. A total of 116 new hospitals and 188 primary care facilities, have either been constructed or are in the pipeline, benefiting the thousands of patients who come through their doors every day
Launching the map, Health Secretary Patricia Hewitt said:
“This map clearly illustrates that the NHS is opening hospitals, not closing them. These developments represent our commitment to the biggest hospital building programme in the history of the NHS. We have already exceeded the target in the NHS Plan of building 100 new hospitals. Combined with the new surgeries, health centres and clinics, this Government has changed the face of the NHS today and laid firm foundations for the NHS for the next fifty years.
“What this means for patients today is that in addition to being treated in bright, modern facilities, they are also being seen more quickly and helping us to reach the 18 week waiting time target by the end of 2008.”
Highlighted on the map are seven new PFI hospitals, worth around ?1.5 billion which have today passed Government checks on affordability and value for money, and move a major step closer to opening their doors to patients.
PFI schemes at Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust, Bristol North and South Gloucester PCTs, Tees and North East Yorkshire NHS Trust, Peterborough NHS Trust, North Middlesex University Hospital NHS Trust, Mid Yorkshire NHS Hospitals Trust and Mid Essex Hospital Services NHS Trust, have all met the requirements of the Department’s reappraisal exercise:
This go-ahead means that the NHS in these areas will now develop business cases for the new hospital buildings for Treasury and Ministerial approval before starting construction work.
Mixed sex wards are among the outdated facilities planned for replacement. Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust’s plans include a 512 bed new hospital with A&E, which will replace Nightingale Wards at two old hospitals with single en-suite rooms.