Kentish Express Ashford & District
The true cost of super hospital bid
A new super hospital in Canterbury would cost almost half-abillion pounds to deliver, it has been revealed.
The NHS would need to spend £302 million kitting out the newbuild, while developer Mark Quinn would cover the £140 million cost of constructing the hospital shell.
Meanwhile, the costs for instead enhancing services at the William Harvey and QEQM - while downgrading the Kent and Canterbury - will be significantly less at £225 million.
Both options are set to be scrutinised by health bosses after they go out for consultation, which is expected to be some time next year.
If the Canterbury super hospital is built, health bosses would close the A&E departments at the Harvey and QEQM.
Ashford Borough Council’s deputy leader Paul Bartlett believes the contrasting costs should help determine the much-anticipated decision.
“We are talking about a very considerable difference the two options,” he said.
“One of the key determining factors is that there will not be endless capital to throw at the project.
“From a financial point of view, the Ashford and Margate option makes better sense.
“Firstly, it is much better to have two sites at either end of east Kent, which covers the area far better than Canterbury would, and then you have the cash element to think about as well.”
Earlier this month, Boris Johnson threw a spanner into the works of the drawn-out decision-making process after pledging to build a new hospital in Canterbury.
But neither the K&C or the East Kent Hospitals Trust features on an official list of hospitals to receive capital funding over the next decade.
Despite being warmly welcomed by fellow Tories and hopeful campaigners, Canterbury MP Rosie Duffield wants the Prime Minister to apologise for raising the hopes of city constituents.
Ms Duffield said: “I had hoped that this was a genuine announcement and that the prime minister had recognised the dire need for the fully-funded hospitals across east Kent.
“It now appears that this ‘announcement’ is just the latest in a long line of gaffes and that, following a clarification from the DoH, the prime minster was indeed incorrect to say that Canterbury would be benefiting from a new hospital in this latest funding round.
“Frankly, I think he needs to retract his comments and apologise for raising hopes of patients and NHS staff in Canterbury like this.”
On the other hand, Conservative parliamentary candidate for Canterbury, Anna Firth, is immensely pleased with the shock declaration.
“The Prime Minister’s announcement is hugely welcome news,” she said.
“All those working at the K&C do a fantastic job but the hospital itself is well past its sell-by date.”
According to the East Kent Hospitals Trust’s chief executive, Susan Acott, its hospital buildings are currently in the worst 19 trusts in the country and are expected to fall into the worst 10 hospital sites next year.
She said: “Millions and millions of pounds are spent every year repairing and maintaining out of-date buildings which could be spent on providing better healthcare for the whole county. Now is the time for all campaigners for a new hospital to reunite and keep the prime minister to his word.”
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