Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust said it plans to invest £115 m across its five hospitals in 2025/26 to reduce estate risks and improve experience in response to redevelopment delays.
This compares with a total capital spend of £70 m last year.
Funding sources include £25.25 m awarded through the Government’s Estates Safety Fund – one of the largest allocations in the scheme intended to address critical infrastructure and safety risks.
Sources also include an additional £9 m awarded through the Government’s 2025/26 constitutional standards recovery capital funding stream, £29.7 m from the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme secured in 2024, and £3 m for imaging machine upgrades announced in March.
New imaging technology
The trust said, “We are installing a new state-of-the-art MRI scanner at Charing Cross Hospital, as a replacement for one of our existing scanners which is 15-years-old. This is the second scanner we have replaced in the past 12-months (we have three scanners at Charing Cross) and will improve our diagnostic capability, ultimately help us reduce waiting times.
“We are also planning to replace two further scanners with the latest models, one more at Charing Cross and one at St Mary’s Hospital.
Significant improvements
The announcement of the funding will be combined with the Trust’s own capital budget which stands at £60 m for 2025/26. Imperial Health Charity has committed a further £2 m so far for 2025/26 towards schemes to deliver significant improvements in patient and staff experience.
With New Hospital Programme funding delayed for a new St Mary’s and for major refurbishment and redevelopment schemes at Charing Cross and Hammersmith hospitals, there is a growing need for short term investment to reduce the risk of major estate failures which would have further safety, operational and efficiency impacts, the Trust commented. The cost to eradicate high risk maintenance backlog on the three sites is now over £420 m.
Professor Tim Orchard, chief executive of Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, said: “Some of our buildings are over 180 years old and we have the largest high risk maintenance backlog of any NHS Trust. We are relieved and grateful to have additional support for managing the safety and operational risks this brings.
“We are also fortunate to have an excellent estates team who work miracles and a fantastic wider workforce who go the extra mile, as well as great support from Imperial Health Charity.
“The past year has been particularly challenging, with power outages, loss of water, flooding, collapsing floors and ceilings and even a fire. We have revised our estates approach to make larger investments in safety and maintenance where possible, while making the most of that and all other capital investment to support operational flow and improved patient and staff experience. But the only real solution – and the most cost effective one - is the redevelopment of all three of our main sites.”
