Concerns raised as Torbay Hospital rebuild pushed back beyond 2030

South Devon MPs have called on Health Secretary Wes Streeting to provide assurances that investment in Torbay Hospital will not be further delayed, amid concerns that the ageing estate is affecting patient care and staff safety.

It is understood that several hospitals built as part of the New Hospitals Programme are now not expected to open until 2032–33, despite the original recommended deadline of 2030. This has raised fears from local MPs of further delays across the programme, with Torbay Hospital currently scheduled to be rebuilt between 2033 and 2035.

MPs have previously raised concerns about the presence of reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) in NHS buildings, warning it poses potential safety risks if not identified and managed.

RAAC, or reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete, is a lightweight building material widely used in public buildings between the 1950s and 1990s that is now known to deteriorate over time and can fail without warning.

Locally, Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust confirmed that none of its hospitals contain RAAC.

Steve Darling, Liberal Democrat MP for Torbay, joined Martin Wrigley and Caroline Voaden in writing to Mr Streeting, warning that delays elsewhere in the programme could affect the hospital’s long-term reconstruction.

“Torbay Hospital badly needs new investment and new facilities. Staff and patients are currently dealing with appalling conditions. We need to be sure that the recently announced delays to hospitals built from RAAC will not result in our incredibly necessary investment being further delayed at the expense of Torbay and South Devon residents,” said Mr Darling.

“The people of Torbay and South Devon deserve better. They deserve a hospital that is fit for purpose, that is functioning efficiently and is a safe environment to work in. The delay to the promised rebuilding funds was unacceptable, and to hear now that those funds may not be available for even longer is simply not good enough. The government must recognise the importance of this hospital and release the funding that is so desperately needed to ensure its future as soon as possible,” added Martin Wrigley, MP for Newton Abbot.

Caroline Voaden, MP for South Devon, said: “Delaying Torbay Hospital’s repairs until 2032, despite 80 per cent of the estate being unfit for purpose, was an unforgivable act. Pushing it back any further would be a total dereliction of duty by the Health Secretary and put patient and staff safety at risk. The Health Secretary must assure us this will not happen, despite delays elsewhere in the New Hospitals Programme.”

Torbay Weekly spoke to the Department of Health and Social Care to clarify the government’s position. 

Officials said the NHS estate was in a poor state when the current government took office, and significant investment is being made to address urgent maintenance and repairs.

The department confirmed that over £30 billion will be invested over five years, with more than £5 billion targeted at the most critical cases. 

Capital budgets will increase to over £14.6 billion by 2029–30, a £2.3 billion real terms rise from 2023–24, including more than £1 billion in 2025–26 to tackle critical maintenance, upgrades, and dangerous reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC). 

This includes a £750 million Estates Safety Fund, which officials said will enhance patient and staff environments and support NHS productivity, and a further £440 million to continue the national RAAC programme. 

Operational capital funding of more than £4 billion will also be provided in 2025–26.

Officials said the New Hospital Programme has been put on a “sustainable and realistic footing,” with confirmed funding plans and timelines for Torbay Hospital. 

Main construction is expected to start between 2032 and 2034 as part of Wave 2 of the programme. 

The rebuild will deliver separate planned and unplanned care on the acute Torbay site, retain a 24-hour/7-day Emergency Department, and include a new emergency department with wards above over six stories and a planned care centre.

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: “After years of delays, we have also put the New Hospital Programme on a sustainable and realistic footing. Work is getting underway as we build an NHS estate fit for the future - we have already confirmed a funding plan and set a realistic timeline to rebuild Torbay Hospital, and will work closely with the local trust to make this happen."

Healthwatch has also raised concerns about the potential impact of prolonged reliance on temporary fixes. Pat Harris, Strategic Lead for Healthwatch in Devon, Plymouth and Torbay, said: “Our concern is that, with the main rebuild now pushed into the 2030s, there is a risk that prolonged reliance on short-term fixes creates ongoing uncertainty and disruption for patients and staff, and raises questions about long-term value for money. We would like to see clear, publicly accessible assurance about how interim spending is prioritised to minimise disruption and maximise patient benefit, and how it sits alongside wider investment – including community-based services and access routes that could reduce pressure on the hospital while plans for the new build progress.”

Locally, Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust have said the £2.367 million recently invested will address urgent infrastructure risks, including upgraded ventilation in cancer services, fire safety enhancements, water system improvements, and roof edge protection for staff and contractors.

While these improvements are expected to enhance safety and patient care, the trust acknowledged that further investment is needed to fully modernise the hospital. 

A £14.2 million redevelopment of the Emergency Department is nearing completion, which the trust says will improve waiting times and patient experience. 

The estate currently has a reported maintenance backlog of more than £62 million.