ExclusiveBy Pamela McGowan Health reporter

Last updated at 16:17, Friday, 13 February 2009

Plans to build a brand new hospital in West Cumbria could be jeopardised by a major cash blow.

Bosses found out this week that a maximum pot of just £100 million will be available – which may not be enough to deliver the new-build facility they had envisaged.

They have now admitted they may be forced to look at a part-refurbishment scheme – using some of the existing West Cumberland Hospital in Whitehaven – instead.

The board of the North Cumbria University Hospitals NHS Trust discussed the developments at their monthly meeting in Carlisle yesterday.

It is widely agreed that the current West Cumberland, which is over 40 years old, is in need of major repair and the building is no longer suitable for modern healthcare.

The trust has already committed itself to providing new acute hospital facilities, with a minimum of 220 beds, in west Cumbria and had talked about a complete new-build, possibly on a brand new site. This was backed by NHS Cumbria, the primary care trust, as part of wider plans to change the way healthcare is delivered, shifting the focus away from giant acute hospitals into the community.

Now, after years of talks, the west Cumbrian hospital project is finally beginning to move forward, though the site has still to be confirmed.

Kevin Clarkson, deputy chief executive of the trust, said it was very important that this matter be resolved quickly and an outline business case be put forward to regional bosses.

But he said the maximum amount of public funds available for the project will be £100 million – up to £70 million from the Department of Health and £30 million from the strategic health authority – which may not be enough.

In his report to the board, he explained: “A key issue for the project is the amount of capital that would be required for a complete rebuild to match the requirements set out in the Closer to Home consultation of 220-250 beds.

“Initial advice is that this may be challenging with the funding available.”

Instead he said they may have to consider the partial use of the existing site rather than 100 per cent new-build.

The board therefore agreed that the best way forward was to bring in professional advisers to undertake a “rapid and focused” review of the options – in time to report back to the board’s March meeting.

Mr Clarkson said that the £100 million ceiling was a concern in terms of a new-build and felt the local community may have hoped for more.

But he ruled out any possibility of approaching the private sector for further funding. Instead he said they must work within the budget available and may have to adapt the scheme, depending on the findings of the consultants.

They will now have less than a month to price up all of the possible options, from a complete new-build on a greenfield site to a partial rebuild.

Despite the concerns of trust bosses, Copeland MP Jamie Reed played down the funding worries, saying the available cash will go a long way.

“There’s real benefit in utilising part of the existing hospital alongside the new build. Our community hospitals are being rebuilt to superb standards with budgets of £10-£15 million each and the Cumberland Infirmary at Carlisle cost around the £70m mark, so £100m buys a huge amount in terms of hospitals,” he said.

“I know that large parts of the community will be reassured by the possibility of utilising some of the existing hospital; it would allow the £100m to go further and would ensure that the hospital did remain on the existing site,” he added.

Workington MP Tony Cunningham also remained positive, but he disagreed that the existing site would necessarily be the cheapest solution.

He said they had to look at every option and come up with the best scheme for patients right across west Cumbria.

First published at 13:55, Friday, 13 February 2009
Published by http://www.whitehavennews.co.uk