Work to build a new hospital in County Durham is “many millions” over budget, health officials have warned.
Plans to replace the outdated Shotley Bridge Hospital by building a new facility in Consett have been delayed due to budget pressures, casting doubt over the future of the scheme.
Those working on the proposal are yet to set a start date for the works, but insist they are “committed” to building the new facility in the region.
The proposed purpose-built community health facility on Genesis Way was part of Boris Johnson’s pledge to build 40 new hospitals throughout the UK by 2030.
Read more: Future of new County Durham hospital uncertain amid delays and lack of progress
Planning permission was granted in March but the project has failed to progress since - and local county councillor Kevin Earley has urged those in charge to get spades in the ground.
“The costs for the building came back significantly higher than expected,” said Richard Morris, associate director of operations at the County Durham and Darlington NHS Trust. “We’re many, many millions above what was expected.
“We have had very detailed discussions with the new hospital’s senior team and found the scheme was still viable and it’s expected it goes ahead but we need to make changes.”
Mr Morris was speaking at a meeting of Durham County Council’s adult health committee on Monday. He said the design process for the hospital is in the ‘advanced stages’.
The new hospital will be smaller than the current site, but the upgrade is needed due to its poor condition.
Mr Morris added: “We need to be able to replace Shotley Bridge Hospital. It’s very old and there’s a lot of things that are wrong with it. It’s fine to work today but it won’t be forever.”
Such delays have caused locals to question whether the hospital will be downsized in its size or by providing less services.
Liberal Democrat councillor for Consett, Moorside and The Grove, Dominic Haney said: “The new community hospital risks being a failure on a Titanic scale if the Government doesn’t get out the chequebook and properly fund it.
“Health chiefs have been tasked with reconfiguring the new hospital’s layout to bring costs down, but no amount of rearranging the deckchairs is going to stop the project from being sunk.
“As construction costs continue to soar, the longer the delays, the greater the chance the new hospital never sees the light of day.”
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But bosses say the hospital will remain a 16-bed facility.
“I don’t think the clinical outcomes are going to be as compromised as we think,” Mr Morris added.
“I cannot give you a definitive timeline as to when the hospital will be open. But we are committed to delivering it.”
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