A Tory pledge to build 40 new hospitals by the end of the decade is under threat, it has been claimed, with only 10 having received full planning permission so far.
A commitment to build new hospitals by 2030 was one of the key issues in Boris Johnson’s 2019 general election manifesto.
Although liberal democrat Said details obtained through parliamentary questions and Freedom of Information requests showed that the program was behind schedule and almost certain to miss the target.
The party said that only 10 hospitals had received permission to start functioning, while some had not even received layout planning permission.
His tall promises have not been shown to be worth the paper they are written on
Daisy Cooper MP
Lib Dem Deputy Leader Daisy Cooper Said failure meant communities would be left to contend with crumbling facilities that were in dire need of updating.
“It is really condemnable. conservative Government is on its way to breaking the flagship NHS promise and refuse to accept it,” she said.
“Communities already suffering from alarmingly long ambulance waiting times are also left with overcrowded hospitals that are rapidly collapsing.
“Time and again conservative health ministers are hiding the truth from the country. His tall promises have not been shown to be worth the paper they are written on.
The Department of Health and Social Care said it is working with the relevant NHS trusts to ensure that construction starts quickly where possible.
It states that the program divides various schemes into “clusters” based on an assessment of their readiness and the extent to which they can benefit from the benefits of delivery through a national programme.
A spokesman said: “We are investing £3.7 billion for the first four years of the new hospital program and have committed to all the plans announced as part of it.
“The requirements for planning permission have depended on construction timelines over the decades and we continue to work closely with trusts on their plans.
“We are developing a national approach to building new hospitals so that plans can be made faster and ensure value for money.”