Hospital works yet to start despite claim - trust

Refurbishing works at two London hospitals under the government's "40 new hospitals" pledge are yet to begin, a health trust says, despite claims by the health secretary they were already under way.

Steve Barclay told MPs work had started on building temporary wards at Charing Cross Hospital, so that the rest of the building could be refurbished.

He added a rehabilitation cardiac hub was being built at Hammersmith Hospital, but Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, which manages the hospitals, told the BBC work under the scheme had not started at either building.

A Department for Health spokesperson says the government "remains committed to delivering all schemes" in its New Hospital Programme.

The commitment to build 40 new hospitals in England by 2030 was in the Conservative Party's 2019 election manifesto.

However, this week Mr Barclay admitted that not all the 40 hospitals promised would be brand new and some would be refurbished.

He also acknowledged some of the hospitals would now be completed after 2030, as more urgent developments were prioritised. St Mary's Hospital in Paddington is one of those, which is run by the same trust.

Speaking in the House of Commons last week, Mr Barclay said: "We are starting to build the temporary ward capacity at Charing Cross and the first phase of work is under way on the cardiac elective recovery hub, to bring cardiac work on to the Hammersmith site."

Mr Barclay has been accused by Labour's Hammersmith MP Andy Slaughter of misleading Parliament.

Speaking to the BBC, he said: "These three hospitals have some of the biggest maintenance backlog and have the biggest need for repair across England.

"Now, there is no set date for when refurbishments will take place and there's no money.

"I have no doubt that he [Steven Barclay] misled parliament.

"He said works were under way at Charing Cross and Hammersmith. I spoke to the trust and they said they had no idea what the government was talking about."

The trust has said it does not have the money to carry out such refurbishments.

It told the BBC: "We are at an early stage of planning for the major Charing Cross Hospital refurbishment/new build scheme," and, "the major Hammersmith Hospital refurbishment/new build scheme within the New Hospital Programme - we are on track to submit the first level business case for approval this autumn".

It added other works had taken place at both hospitals recently via other funding routes, including the building of a cardiac "cath lab" at Hammersmith Hospital.

The Department for Health did not respond to claims Mr Barclay had misled Parliament when it was asked to comment.

However, a spokesperson said: "We remain committed to both schemes for Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust at St Mary’s Hospital, and for Charing Cross Hospital and Hammersmith Hospital, as part of the New Hospital Programme.

"We will continue to work with the trust with any requirements for supportive works that are needed ahead of main construction commencing for both schemes."