Jim Parker: Our crumbling hospital cannot wait

I went on a guided tour of Torbay Hospital a few months ago just to see for myself what a desperate state its buildings were in. I guess it was summed up when I spotted a nurse sitting on a bench in the courtyard of the old hospital. Philanthropist Ella Rowcroft may have sat on that very same bench after donating land to signal the 'birth' of the hospital. A foundation stone was laid to mark the occasion. The modern-day nurse would have been surrounded by the same buildings as Ella Rowcroft and that stone, which was dated June, 1925.

Yep, almost 100 years ago. And some of those buildings are still in use today. You can see why the hospital is in dire need of investment and regeneration to make it fit for the 21st century.

The third oldest hospital in the entire country, scaffolding now surrounds some of its main wards and buildings, virtually propping them up. The site suffers from crumbling concrete, water ingress, and even sewage leaks.

Yep, sewage leaks at a place where heroic doctors and nurses are working tirelessly to save lives almost every minute of every day.

Labour's new Health Minister Wes Streeting, was quoted as telling the Commons 'The NHS is quite literally crumbling' as he cited leaking pipes and falling roofs.

So what did he do to help Torbay and its Victorian hospital? He pulled the rug on a £350million to £400million scheme for a 'new' hospital.

The redevelopment was first mooted in a National Hospitals Programme championed by the former Conservative government some four years ago. Now, after a review from Mr Streeting, it has been kicked into the long grass, and nothing will happen until at least 2032 or 2035—does it really matter what year—if at all?

Torbay's Lib Dem MP Steve Darling said the previous Conservative government had failed to keep its promises to Torbay, and now the Labour administration had let it down as well.

Above: Steve Darling outside Torbay A&E

He said: “I’m shocked and disappointed. This is nothing but a double betrayal by the previous government, who failed to bring home the bacon, and now we are looking at a significant delay.”

Torbay’s long-awaited rebuild was first announced under Conservative prime minister Boris Johnson as part of his high-profile pledge in 2020 to build ‘40 new hospitals’ across the country, but funding had not been put in place by the time Labour took power in the 2024 general election. Since the election, health minister Wes Streeting has been reviewing the projects against a backdrop of difficulties with public finances.

Mr Streeting said: “Despite the claim, there were not 40 ‘new’ schemes and some were just refurbishments or extensions. To put it simply – there were not 40 of them, they were not all new and many were not even hospitals.

“Most shocking of all, the funding for the programme was due to run out in March of this year, with no provision for future years whatsoever. The money simply was not there."

In a dossier sent to Mr Streeting, Mr Darling explained the conditions at Torbay Hospital. Both patients and staff have picked up infections as a result of sewage leaks on site, and on one occasion the ear, nose and throat department was completely flooded by a sewage leak that wiped out all outpatient activity for a week. Ventilation in operating theatres has failed, and ventilation in the special care baby unit was an issue, Insufficient ventilation in the post-mortem room of the mortuary resulted in a member of staff contracting TB from a dead patient. The tower block which contains the main in-patient wards has severe defects in the concrete, and there are ‘multiple significant fire safety issues’ across the site. The main restaurant and ward kitchens are no longer fit for purpose, roofs are leaking and CCTV is below standard.

South Devon MP Caroline Voaden said:  “This government was elected on a desire for change, but this decision is just more of the same."

Former Torbay Conservative MP Kevin Foster, who was ousted by Mr Darling last summer, said: "The news is a shock and a blow to our bay. It is hard to see how the urgent need to replace buildings dating back to the 1920s at Torbay Hospital, the third oldest in the NHS still in daily use, did not see it placed higher in Labour’s priorities.Before the election Labour and the Lib Dems dismissed any suggestions plans for our hospital rebuild would be threatened by a change of Government. Ministers have kicked the plan into not just the next parliament, but the one after that."

When the Labour Government announced in September they had placed Torbay Hospital’s rebuild on a list of projects “under review”, residents rushed to sign an online petition organised by Mr Foster, calling on the Health Secretary to honour the pledges made. An announcement of funding to rebuild Torbay Hospital’s Emergency Department was welcomed locally, but local campaigners are making clear it is no substitute for the urgent and much needed rebuild.

Torbay's NHS boss was being diplomatic with his response. Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust Chair Chris Balch said: “We welcome the announcement that Torbay Hospital remains in the New Hospital Programme, although we are bitterly disappointed at the delayed timetable. While we move through the process to develop the new hospital plans and manage our critical infrastructure risks, our hard-working colleagues will continue to work tirelessly to offer the best possible care for our patients. We would like to thank everyone who has supported us as we made the case for investment into Torbay Hospital. While we wait for the new hospital construction we will be exploring all other funding avenues available to manage our estate issues. We remain committed to working together with our staff, patients and local people to deliver the modern hospital that our Torbay and South Devon communities deserve and need.”

Poor old North Devon Hospital has fared even worse than Torbay and any regeneration works there may not start until at least 2035. A £600 million upgrade to the hospital’s facilities has been promised.

There was one major West Country redevelopment project which did escape the long grass as it was confirmed work on a £180 million emergency care centre for Plymouth's Derriford Hospital could begin this year. 

Hang on a minute, Plymouth? Isn't that where we have two Labour MPs, including a Minister, and a Labour-controlled city council?

It could of course be total coincidence (I had trouble writing that) or a clear example of 'it's not what you know but who you know' which is shameful when you are talking about saving lives.

Here's an invite to Mr Streeting: Come to Torbay and See For Yourself'