The chief executive of Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust has called on the government to prioritize the construction of a new hospital in Paddington, as part of next week’s Budget plans. Professor Tim Orchard emphasized the urgent need to replace the aging St Mary’s Hospital, with some of its buildings dating back 180 years.
“Some of the buildings are 180 years old, and we’re still providing healthcare in them. It is not a sustainable position in the long term,” Prof Orchard said. “St Mary’s needs to be rebuilt.”
The hospital is one of four London trusts included in the New Hospital Programme, alongside Hillingdon, St Helier, and Whipps Cross. Each of these trusts is awaiting updates in the forthcoming Budget, hoping for government support to expedite redevelopment plans.
However, Health Secretary Wes Streeting indicated that delays may be unavoidable for some projects. “We’re still finalizing the review, but I can say with some certainty there will be people who will be disappointed that it takes longer. At least we’re being upfront and honest about that and are coming forward with a plan we can actually stick to,” he told BBC London.
Struggling Infrastructure
Parts of St Mary’s have already been closed as structural issues persist. Recent work has been focused on strengthening pillars in certain blocks, but challenges remain widespread. Several rooms across three floors have been shuttered, and a 30-bed ward had to be closed due to the floor’s inability to support the weight of hospital beds.
Lead nurse for specialist medicine, Nadia Tavernier-Gustave, highlighted the daily struggles faced by staff and patients. She took BBC London through the Almroth Wright ward, which she said is “not built for 21st-century care.”
The nurse explained that the ward’s narrow corridors make it impossible to navigate hospital beds, forcing patients to be transferred to trolleys. Additionally, a noticeable slope runs the length of the corridor, with some areas in darkness due to failed lighting that requires rewiring.
“It is uncomfortably hot,” Ms Tavernier-Gustave remarked. She said nurses “are trying their best to give the best care they can possibly give,” but the conditions do not support optimal healthcare. “I want to be able to give the nurses good working conditions, and I can’t do that on this ward at the moment,” she added.
Plea for Government Action
St Mary’s Victorian-era buildings are visibly deteriorating, with cracked walls, crumbling bricks, and rotting window frames. Professor Orchard’s appeal comes as the Trust hopes for a significant allocation of funds in the Budget to initiate a comprehensive rebuild.
“Anyone who walks around St Mary’s – and the secretary of state for health has walked around St Mary’s – will see the need for a new hospital right there in front of them,” Prof Orchard said.
As Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust awaits next week’s Budget announcement, staff and patients continue to contend with inadequate facilities. The question remains whether the government will deliver the funding necessary to meet the urgent demand for new hospital infrastructure in London.
