WORCESTERSHIRE Acute Hospitals Trust will receive the extra £2.3million it needs to submit a business case for improvement works at the Alexandra Hospital.
It comes after county MP Rachel Maclean negotiated a loan from the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care Matt Hancock to push the work along.
Following meetings with the Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust last month, it emerged that, as a result of increased costs, the £29.6million awarded to the Trust in 2017 would no longer cover the cost of planned improvements at the Alex.
The Trust was awarded this funding in 2017 to implement plans outlined in the Future of Acute Services Review in Worcestershire which saw services such as maternity move to Worcestershire Royal Hospital.
Since then £16million has been spent on building a link bridge at the Royal and to refurbish its Aconbury East Building creating a 28-bed ward.
Money was also spent on several emergency projects, including improving the safety of the Trust’s estate to enhance the quality of patient services.
However the Alexandra Hospital hasn’t yet received any funding from the original £29.6million, which had been earmarked for improvements to the elective care centre, endoscopy, children’s outpatients and an upgrade to operating theatres.
After finding out from the Trust that this funding would no longer cover the costs of works at the Alex due to inflation, Mrs Maclean lobbied Mr Hancock to increase the capital funding the Trust needs from £29.6million to £31.9million.
And it was confirmed last week she had been successful in getting the sum which will have to be repaid to the Department of Health in the coming years.
This boost will ensure less delay and more action, as the Alex can now put forward its business plan which focuses on improving children’s outpatient services, upgrading theatres and supporting endoscopy services.
