Following reports of significant delays to the Government’s New Hospitals Programme, will you join me in writing to the new Prime Minister calling for the necessary funding to be released to ensure that the six projects earmarked for London can be completed as soon as possible?

London’s NHS has some of the world’s most advanced facilities and best staff but also some of the worst hospital buildings in Britain, with some just trying to keep the rain out. Building “40” new hospitals by 2030 was a central commitment in the Government’s 2019 Election manifesto, regularly repeated by [former Prime Minister, The Rt Hon] Boris Johnson [MP] ‑ remember him ‑ including as a parting shot in his farewell speech outside Number 10.

Epsom and St Helier, Whipps Cross and Hillingdon [hospitals] were identified for delivery by 2025. Reports have suggested this work will not be completed until 2027 at the earliest and it could be even later, with delays likely to cost millions of pounds. Trusts have highlighted their frustration with the delays and uncertainty, and I have seen the very real impact of the failures to move schemes forward.

In July 2021, Whipps Cross [Hospital] was forced to cancel 582 planned surgeries and over 100 face‑to‑face outpatient appointments and to divert ambulances after flash floods caused major damage to parts of the already rundown building, the electric system and power supply. During the July [2022] heatwave, Epsom and St Helier [Hospitals] featured nightly in news bulletins as hard‑pressed staff fought valiantly to keep patients cool and safe in antiquated buildings. The London Estates Delivery Unit has supported local progress on individual projects, but the Government urgently needs to increase the pace of the national programme and provide the necessary funding for our hospitals.

Thank you, Mr Mayor. Just this morning, figures have revealed that waiting lists for hospital treatment have hit a record high of 7 million in England. That is just fresh as we were walking into City Hall this morning. Two years on from the Government pledge to fund and implement these vital new hospitals or hospital renewals, we are now hearing reports that most of these, as mentioned in your opening remarks, will not be ready until 2027 at the earliest. Do you share my concerns that these protracted delays that we are seeing will lead to even longer waiting lists and cancellations, even longer than the disastrous numbers that we have seen reported this morning?

It is a big concern. By the way, you cannot blame this just on COVID. These backlogs, waiting lists, were in place before COVID. It is a direct consequence of 12 years of starving the NHS of the resources it needs, and it is really important to understand it is not just the cataract patients who are waiting longer. Those who need a hip replacement, but those whose early treatment of cancer could save life and lead to longer lives. We have not even talked about social care. It is a big concern and winter has not even arrived yet. That is one of the reasons why in my opening remarks I mentioned the importance of the vaccines, because we need to do what we can to alleviate the pressure on the NHS. It is incredibly worrying.

For the new Epsom and St Helier Hospital project in Sutton, each year of delay adds between £20 million to £30 million to costs of the scheme and for Whipps Cross [Hospital] that figure is between £50 million and £100 million, probably even more now given what we are seeing with inflation. The Government’s inertia is not only putting patient care and safety at risk but also costing the taxpayer hundreds of millions of pounds. It is not surprising that the National Audit Office (NAO) is looking into this. Will you be sending evidence in to its investigation?

Once the NAO has published its scope of reference for the review, I will look into that and then I will respond accordingly. What we do is we normally consult with local councils, Members of Parliament (MPs) and practitioners but, yes, subject to what the review scope is I will be responding.

Finally, will you join me in writing to the new Prime Minister to make sure that we can get those projects moving in London?

Absolutely. I have already written to the new Secretary of State for Health and Social Care on a range of issues which include improving London’s hospital infrastructure, and I will let the Assembly know when I receive a response to that letter.

Thank you.