Lack of funding announcement poses ‘huge risk’, says health chief

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Thursday, 13 December 2018 20:49

By Carmelo Garcia - Local Democracy Reporter

County health chiefs say they face a huge risk if no funding is announced to replace the hutted wards at Hereford County Hospital.

Demolition teams moved in to knock down the old unoccupied Canadian hutted wards at the hospital in October to pave the way for much needed new wards.

The new wards are expected to provide 72 beds, an extra 34 beds over and above the capacity provided in the two hutted wards still currently in use for inpatients at the hospital.

But Wye Valley NHS Trust chief executive Glen Burley took to Twitter yesterday to express is disappointment that no funding announcement for the project had been forth coming.

“Really disappointed that our Hutted Ward replacement project has still not been funded despite capital announcements elsewhere,” he said in his tweet.

“Huge risk to the system. Waiting to hear why.”

In a subsequence statement by Mr Burley he said he was ‘very surprised’ that funding for the hutted ward replacement project was not announced this week alongside other national priorities.

“We urgently need to replace these two wards which were built as temporary structures during the Second World War and are simply not good enough for our patients and carry a high risk of failure,” he said.

“Our replacement plan also provides additional beds which we desperately need to meet current and future demand. I will be seeking assurances that funding can be confirmed as soon as possible to avoid further delays.

“Meanwhile, enabling works continue to prepare the site for a new build which we would hope to start in the summer.”

Health ministers announced this week that up to £3m will be invested in the new super GP surgery planned for Station Approach.

The new medical centre will have 30,677 sq ft of floorspace over three floors and will house the Greyfriars, Moorfield House, Aylestone Hill, Sarum House and King Street GP surgeries.