Hospital chiefs eager to secure funding
The Royal United Hospital in Bath is racing to secure up to £450 million promised by the prime minister.
The “once-in-a-generation” opportunity will help it fund the Dyson Cancer Centre, build a new midwifery unit and clear the £50m maintenance backlog.
Boris Johnson made a manifesto pledge to build 40 new hospitals and the RUH was one of 21 trusts to be selected for the second round of the £3.7bn Health Infrastructure Programme.
Simon Cook, who leads on the programme for the trust, said there was “nothing definite” about the £450m allocation and it could face stiff competition.
He told councillors on January 19: “Our focus is to make sure what we’re asking for is something that’s based on a robust clinical model, it’s the right thing for our population, that tackles the needs of the estate.
“There’s a significant backlog of renewal required on the Combe
Park site that needs to be addressed. We’re keen to put a case that’s as compelling as possible.
“We see this as being in competition. We have no complacency at all about the £450million, there’s nothing definite about that.
“The demand for money is probably going to exceed the money available. The sooner we get to that
table with our strong business case the better.”
The RUH is waiting for final approval for the Dyson Cancer Centre, with construction due to start next month ahead of an opening date in 2023. It plans to put £42m of its allocation towards construction, with the remaining £9m made up through charitable donations.
Mr Cook said: “The next thing is the alongside midwifery unit. That’s another development we’ll be looking to after the cancer centre. These are the first fruit of the HIP2 programme. In parallel with this we’re defining the future requirement in our strategic outline case. This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity.”
Councillor Alison Born asked if the coronavirus pandemic would change the approach taken by the RUH.
“The NHS for years has been reducing its bed numbers. In a way those chickens came home to roost with Covid, because we discovered we’re under-bedded for a pandemic,” she said. “Do you think that’s going to change your thinking for the future shape of the service?”
Mr Cook said the NHS had reduced the number of beds spaces over the last 20 years amid a shift to care in the community, which he said was in the best interests of patients. He added: “The main constraint at the moment is not beds, it’s staff. We have Nightingale hospitals but we haven’t got the staff to use them for the intention they were designed.”