Southampton hospital buildings need repairs costing £128m

A growing number of NHS sites across the country are in a poor state, with the estimated repair bill climbing to £11.6bn last year.

According to NHS Digital, £128m is required to upgrade buildings owned by University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust.

Defects include everything from leaky gutters and faulty lifts to serious electrical and structural issues.

The most expensive site is University Hospital Southampton, formerly Southampton General Hospital, which is said to need repairs costing £114m.

Buildings at University Hospital Southampton are said to need repairs costing more than £100m (Image: Newsquest.)

Alex Freeman is a Southampton doctor and regional chairman of the British Medical Association (BMA), which represents doctors.

She said: "The continued failure to invest properly in the bricks and mortar of hospitals and GP practices in Southampton - and across the country - is a scandal.

“For doctors, the shocking accounts of leaking ceilings, peeling walls, and faulty electrics, will come as no surprise as the state of disrepair is so endemic across the NHS.

"In 2022, 43 per cent of doctors surveyed by the BMA said the condition of their workplace had a negative impact on patient care. 

"The BMA has asked the Treasury for at least £8.1bn additional capital funding for 2024/25 so that the £11.6bn maintenance backlog can be addressed.

"Staff can't work efficiently and safely in crumbling buildings."

Buildings at University Hospital Southampton are said to need repairs costing £100m (Image: Newsquest)

Sir Julian Hartley, chief executive of NHS Providers, added: "The cost of trying to patch up creaking buildings and out-of-date facilities is rocketing.

"Far too many NHS buildings and equipment are in a very bad way, and the situation is getting worse.

"The safety of patients and staff is at stake. To provide first-class care, the NHS needs safe, efficient, and reliable buildings."

READ MORE: Southampton hospital roof has RAAC 'Aero bar' concrete that is at risk of collapse

In October, the Department for Health and Social Care confirmed 42 sites had reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) and must be repaired, including University Hospital Southampton.

But Sir Julian said RAAC was just part of a "far bigger and long-running problem".

Buildings at University Hospital Southampton are said to be need repairs costing more than £100m (Image: Newsquest)

A UHS spokesperson said: "As one of the largest acute hospital trusts in the UK, with four large sites and with the majority of our estate built in the late 1960s and early 1970s, ongoing maintenance is a significant challenge.

“A site survey is carried out every year which includes looking at the age, condition and risk of areas across the Trust which is then assessed and graded to prioritise the most urgent work.

“Limited funding is available to manage both our growing and ongoing maintenance backlog alongside major redevelopments, so our focus is always on completing work which helps us keep patients and staff safe. 

“This year we will continue to upgrade the hospital ventilation system which will help to reduce the spread of infection as well as reduce carbon emissions, with the next phase due to commence soon in the west wing of the main hospital site.

“Other works carried out over the past year include fire safety, electrical work, roof repairs, improvements to flooring and drainage."

Southampton Itchen MP Royston Smith added: "The government has invested significantly in health facilities but the growth in people and complex health conditions makes keeping up with demand very challenging.”