Fears allayed over major county hospitals revamp

The University Hospitals of Leicester (UHL) Trust, which covers Leicester Royal Infirmary, Leicester General and Glenfield Hospital, was one of 40 trusts initially allocated a share of funding under the New Hospitals Programme.

Plans were announced for a £450 million revamp of the three sites in 2021.

These included new women’s and ICU services at the LRI, a new midwifery-led unit at Leicester General Hospital and new services for inpatients, outpatients and day cases at Glenfield Hospital. New car parking facilities were also in the plan.

Planning applications have also been approved for various projects. A new, single storey building at the General will contain an operating theatre, as well as pre-op and post-op beds for patients.

However, since the programme was announced, urgent work was identified at additional hospitals across the country.

The lightweight concrete with which they were built was coming to the end of its life and was at risk of deteriorating and undermining the stability of buildings at Airedale in West Yorkshire, Queen Elizabeth King’s Lynn in Norfolk, Hinchingbrooke in Cambridgeshire, Mid Cheshire Leighton in Cheshire and Frimley Park in Surrey.

This led to concerns Leicester’s hospitals might miss out on the funding if it was redirected.

But the Government has now announced that it remains committed to delivering the promised funding.

Of the original 40 hospitals, eight will see work completed after the original 2030 deadline after scheduled works were re-prioritised and because of additional building costs. It is not yet know if Leicester Hospitals are among the eight.