Recommendation 9

DHSC claims that its plans to standardise approvals processes and that hospital design will reduce the time taken to build a hospital from as much as 11 years to about six. We asked whether there was a case for rebuilding some hospitals using traditional methods so that more work could be done sooner – as discussed later in this report, DHSC is delayed in creating the new standardised process and design. DHSC’s view was that reverting to the traditional method would actually take longer.15 We note though that the Infrastructure and Projects Authority has previously highlighted issues with the 7 HM Government, PM confirms £3.7 billion for 40 hospitals in biggest hospital building programme in a generation, 2 October 2020; accessed at www.gov.uk/government/news/pm-confirms-37-billion-for-40- hospitals-in-biggest-hospital-building-programme-in-a-generation 8 Q 45; C&AG’s Report, para 12 and Figure 5 9 C&AG’s Report, Figure 8; [DHSC letter 26/9] 10 Qq 42–43 11 Qq 56–57 12 C&AG’s Report, Figure 9 and para 2.18 13 Letter from Shona Dunn, DHSC dated 26 September 2023 14 Qq 47, 52; C&AG’s Report para 20 and Figure 12 15 Qq 29–31 The New Hospital Programme 11 capability of NHP’s leadership. As NHP has structured its programme, its central team will need deep expertise in large-scale programme management as well as design and construction skills.16