Recommendation 31

We asked witnesses about the implications for the seven schemes that had been removed from the shortlist. For example, it was reported that in August 2023 a ceiling at the hospital in Doncaster collapsed and that there was a risk of the facility closing. NHS England told us that the NHS had to manage these and other risks, such as flooding and fire, “day in, day out”. This was linked to the big increase in the maintenance backlog and NHS England had other funds available to help with these situations. It would though continue to argue for increased investment.70 69 Commons Committee of Public Accounts, Local economic growth, Fifth Report of Session 2022–23, HC 252, 8 June 2020 70 Qq 111–113 18 The New Hospital Programme 3 Future funding, use of consultants and transfers of capital Future funding