‘Boost privacy and tackle infections’

lion government plan to build 48 new hospitals by 2030, as well as an estimated hike in costs of five per cent.

NHS England medical director Professor Stephen Powis last year said single rooms should be the ‘default’, as they boost privacy and infection control.

There are 7,248 singlepatient-rooms and 1,676 isolation rooms out of 130,000 beds across health sectors.

A Department of Health spokesman said: ‘We expect hospitals to consider a minimum of 0 per cent single rooms when investing in new or refurbished hospitals. Our team is consider[ing] a requirement for 100 per cent single rooms in new builds.’