The bids are in - health trust waits as winter cash is handed out - The Redditch Standard

The bids are in - health trust waits as winter cash is handed out

Redditch Editorial 11th Aug, 2020   0

LOCAL health chiefs say they are waiting to hear if they have been successful in capital bids to improve facilities in the Trust’s Emergency Departments.

The comment came as Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced £300million to upgrade hospital facilities nationwide to cope with winter pressures in the months ahead.

In all 117 health trusts will get a share of the money, including University Hospitals Birmingham (£7million), Sandwell And West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust (£4m), George Eliot Hospital NHS Trust (£3m) and South Warwickshire NHS Foundation Trust (£2m).

However one name missing from the list is Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust (WAHT).




Paul Brennan, deputy chief executive and chief operating officer at WAHT, said: “We have submitted a number of bids for capital funding to further improve facilities for our Emergency Departments and other urgent and emergency care services across the Trust.

“We are waiting to hear the outcome of these bids.”


WAHT is the health trust in charge of Worcestershire Royal Hospital, the Alexandra Hospital in Redditch and Kidderminster Treatment Centre.

The winter months have consistently resulted in capacity challenges due to increased demand for services.

This year, with the added impact of Covid-19 further disruptions to the NHS had been feared.

Earlier this year the government wiped out WAHT’s £321m debt at a stroke releasing an extra £9.2m in capital spending instead of the £2.2m the trust would have been expecting.

Glen Burley, chief executive for George Eliot NHS Trust and South Warwickshire NHS Foundation Trust said: “We are delighted to receive this funding for Warwickshire urgent care services.

“We are facing a difficult winter ahead while still recovering from the Covid pandemic and this funding will ensure we have the facilities required to support our staff to deliver high quality care for our local communities.”

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