Millions of pounds needed to repair Bradford hospitals

Recent figures from the NHS Estates Return Information Collection show £499 million is needed to clear the backlog of repairs across the three trusts.

The figures show it costs £55.1 million to run Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust's (BTHFT) estates - which include Bradford Royal Infirmary (BRI) and St Luke's - in the year to March.

Meanwhile, the bill to clear the backlog of repairs needed at the trust is now £102 million.

The site requiring the most expensive work is the BRI, with the provisional statistics estimating it needs £59 million in maintenance and repairs.

BTHFT needs about £13.1 million to address "high-risk" repairs.

Bradford Royal Infirmary (Image: Newsquest)

Trust would 'welcome any further investment to improve its estate'

A spokesperson for BTHFT said: “St Luke’s Hospital was first opened as a workhouse infirmary in 1850, further wards were built in 1890, and the Horton Wing was built in the early 1990s, so 43 per cent of the estate was built before 1948 on this site.

“BRI was built in the late 1920s and officially opened in 1936. This original development now amounts for 59 per cent of the current estate. 

“We are continuing to invest in each site year on year, for example, we completely refurbished two of the original Nightingale wards at BRI in 2022, Wards 2 and 5, creating a modern environment for our patients and staff. 

St Luke's Hospital (Image: Google Street View) “A new £19m surgical day case unit is currently under development at the St Luke’s Hospital site and work has started on a new £25m endoscopy unit at BRI.

"We are also refurbishing and extending parts of the Women’s and Newborn building.

“The Trust would welcome any further investment to improve its estate and our patients’ experience.”

Airedale Hospital (Image: Newsquest)

Airedale Hospital needs about £316 million to address "high-risk" repairs

Meanwhile, the figures show it cost £23.5 million to run Airedale NHS Foundation Trust's (AFT) estates in the year to March.

Meanwhile, the bill to clear the backlog of repairs needed at the trust is now £339 million.

Airedale Hospital needs about £316 million to address "high-risk" repairs.

Foluke Ajayi, chief executive of Airedale NHS Foundation Trust, highlighted how RAAC is to blame for the repairs needed and welcomed a new hospital.

She said: “This figure highlights the extent of the work needed to address the structural issues we are facing due to RAAC.

"Over 80 per cent of our hospital contains RAAC and the impact of this and the repair work required to maintain the hospital is well-known. 

“This is why we are getting a new hospital, which is the only solution to ensuring a RAAC-free hospital estate.

"In the meantime, we continue to take every step possible to maintain safety within the building.

"This includes a comprehensive programme of rolling inspections and putting in structural supports and installing structural solutions where necessary.”

Lynfield Mount Hospital (Image: Newsquest)

Trust looking forward to redevelopment

The figures also revealed it cost £16.4 million to run Bradford District Care NHS Foundation Trust's (BDCFT) estates in the year to March.

Meanwhile, the bill to clear the backlog of repairs needed at the trust is now £58 million.

The site requiring the most expensive work is Lynfield Mount Hospital, with the provisional statistics estimating it needs £57.3 million in maintenance and repairs.

BDCFT needs about £2.7 million to address "high-risk" repairs.

A spokesperson for BDCFT said: "For many years we have been seeking capital funding to redevelop Lynfield Mount Hospital that accounts for a significant proportion of these costs.

"We have now been offered £50m capital funding over four years to support the redevelopment of Lynfield’s central block and are developing a business case for NHS England and the Department of Health and Social Care, to start the work next year.

"Once completed, the redevelopment will significantly reduce our backlog maintenance costs in our largest and oldest hospital site, providing better facilities for patients and staff.

"However, some parts of our existing aged estate will remain, and these will be a priority for our trust.”

A Government spokesperson said: "This Government inherited a broken NHS – and to fix it, we recognise the importance of strategic, value-for-money capital investments.

They added: "As well as the vital reform we will deliver as part of our 10-Year Health Plan, we will ensure the NHS has the funding it needs as we build a health service fit for the future."