New analysis of NHS data by NHS Providers reveals that while the whole country faces challenges from a lack of capital funding, the impact is markedly varied in different areas of England.

Despite the chancellor’s welcome acknowledgment in the recent spending round that a new multi-year capital settlement is needed for the NHS, in part, to “help eradicate current critical safety issues in the NHS estate”, our analysis highlights the scale of the challenge of NHS capital funding that exists, and the direct impact this has on everyone who relies on the NHS.

New analysis of NHS data by NHS Providers reveals that while the whole country faces challenges from a lack of capital funding, the impact is markedly varied in different areas of England.

   

The analysis reveals that in 2017/18 (the latest data available): 

• The North of England (the North East and Yorkshire region and the North West region) had almost half of the total clinical service incidents caused by a building or infrastructure
• London has more high-risk backlog maintenance than the other six regions combined. Despite this, London only received 3% of the money announced by Boris Johnson in last month’s capital funding commitment
• The vast majority (66%) of backlog maintenance for community trusts is in the Midlands region
  
  

The analysis is launched as part of a campaign by NHS Providers calling on the government to address the challenge of NHS capital funding. This campaign will seek to highlight that the prime minister’s  recent capital announcement can only be considered a first down payment on the NHS’s needs – as a nation, we’re now spending less than half the amount on capital than comparable countries.

Specific examples of the impact of the capital shortfall include: 

• At one large foundation trust in the north west, recent CT scanner breakdowns meant patients with life threatening injuries had to be transferred a 75-minute drive away to a different hospital, and over 400 outpatient scans were cancelled
• The work of a major university hospital in the north is being severely impacted by its outdated diagnostic equipment. For example, in 2018, the existing gamma cameras operated at only around 30% of capacity due to regular and sustained equipment downtime      
• At one trust in a highly deprived area in the north of England, some of the older mental health inpatient facilities do not have space for therapeutic activities that support recovery.  For example, three adult wards have large numbers of beds which combined with variable temperatures can make conditions cramped and uncomfortable for patients and staff.
  
  

Commenting, the chief executive of NHS Providers, Chris Hopson, said:

“We need to rebuild our NHS, and give hardworking NHS staff the tools to create the 21st century health service that patients expect and that we can all be proud of.”

We need to rebuild our NHS, and give hardworking NHS staff the tools to create the 21st century health service that patients expect and that we can all be proud of.

NHS Providers is calling for three steps to be taken by the government: 

• set a multiyear NHS capital funding settlement
• commit to bringing the NHS’ capital budget into line with comparable countries
• establish an efficient and effective mechanism for prioritising, accessing and spending NHS capital based on need.
  
  

Commenting further, Chris Hopson said:

“We know the government shares our aim of a properly-funded and well-designed system of capital funding, but this analysis shows the urgent need for action right across the different sectors of the NHS and the country. The risk to patients is rising every day the government does not act.”