Kemi Badenoch MP welcomes the Health Secretary announcement that hospital staff, patients and visitors in hospitals which are part of the Cambridge University Hospitals, Cambridgeshire and Peterborough and the Princes Alexandra Hospital NHS Foundation Trusts will benefit from refurbished wards, brand new electrics and upgraded ventilation systems.
The Government has announced allocations of £600 million to tackle critical maintenance work in hospitals across England, including 13 projects in Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, 3 projects in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust and 6 in The Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust.
All 3 Trusts will receive funding to carry out the work, which could include building new or refurbishing buildings to deliver key services, upgrades to electrical infrastructure, improvements to ventilation systems, works to improve fire safety and the replacement of hospital lifts. The work will be completed by March 2021.
The money is part of a £1.5 billion announced by the Prime Minister in the summer to level up hospital infrastructure across the NHS. While £600 million will be spent on these critical maintenance upgrades, the remainder will be spent on modernising mental health facilities, expanding A&E capacity and improving infection control ahead of winter.
Commenting, Mrs Badenoch said: “I am delighted that our local trusts will benefit from Government funding to carry out vital maintenance work over the coming months.
“These crucial projects will deliver immediate benefits and provide NHS staff with the facilities they need and help our trusts build back better after the pandemic.
“One of my key priorities is to ensure our local health services have the best facilities to provide care for residents. Since August last year the Government has confirmed £850 million to upgrade hospitals and £3.7 billion to help deliver 40 new hospitals, one of those hospitals is the Princess Alexandra Hospital in Harlow which I worked hard to secure alongside colleagues.
“As a Treasury Minister, I was pleased to welcome last month’s spending review that announced a dedicated £1.2 billion for NHS new hospitals in 2021-22. I look forward to seeing first hand how this funding benefits our hospitals.”
