According to the government, a number of hospital construction projects in England are being delayed, with some having to wait up to 14 years for construction to begin.
Health Minister Wes Streeting said the plans – which were part of a 2019 Conservative election promise calling for 40 new hospitals by 2030 – were not affordable.
He accused the Tories of giving “false hope”.
In September, Labor said 21 projects would be delivered, but on Monday unveiled plans for a further 25 – with 18 told they would have to wait until 2032 or later to begin construction.
The Tories said Labor had broken its promises and must prioritize investment in new buildings.
In 2023, the National Audit Office warned that the government was likely to miss its 2030 target.
While the original pledge included 40 hospitals, more were added to the program over time.
In September, Labor gave the green light to 21 projects – work had already started on some of them and some were intended to replace buildings made from reinforced aerated concrete (Raac), which has raised safety concerns.
On Monday, the government announced that another seven projects had been added to this priority list, with construction scheduled to begin by 2029.
But 18 were due to be shelved, with work starting in two phases of 2032 and 2035 – and some in the later group warning it could even take until 2039.
Streeting said: “The program we inherited was unfunded and unworkable.”
“Not a single new hospital has been built in the last five years and there has been no credible financing plan to build forty hospitals in the next five years.
“Today we are setting out an honest, funded and actionable program to rebuild our NHS.”
He said £15 billion would be made available over the next five years to fund the work.
Shadow health minister Ed Argar said the government had “broken” its promises and accused it of financial mismanagement.
“Governing means voting, he [Streeting] has decided not to give priority to the construction of new hospitals.”
Helen Morgan of the Liberal Democrats said: “This is a double betrayal. The Conservatives shamelessly made promises they never intended to keep.”
“Now this administration is using Trump’s inauguration day in a shabby attempt to cover up bad news, showing an outrageous disregard for patients.”
Saffron Cordery of NHS Providers, which represents hospitals, said the announcement was a “serious blow” to trusts, staff and patients.
The government’s new schedule envisages construction starting in 2032:
- Leeds General Infirmary
- Sutton Specialist Emergency Care Hospital (London)
- Whipps Cross Hospital (London)
- Princess Alexandra Hospital (London)
- Watford General Hospital
- Leicester General Hospital
- Kettering (Northants) General Hospital
- Musgrove Park Hospital (Somerset)
- Torbay Hospital (Devon)
Then from 2035:
- Charing Cross and Hammersmith Hospitals (London)
- North Devon District Hospital
- Royal Lancaster Infirmary
- St Mary’s Hospital (London)
- Royal Preston Hospital
- Nottingham City Hospital
- Royal Berkshire Hospital
- Hampshire Hospitals
- Eastbourne District General Hospital (Sussex)
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