Revealed: 'Strongest' STPs share £325m of new investment

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£325m will be paid to the 15 “strongest” STPs over the next three years
Dorset will receive £100m to enable a reconfiguration of acute services between two hospitals in Bournemouth and Poole
Greater Manchester will receive up to £80m for consolidating emergency general surgery at four hospitals and building a major trauma centre

National leaders have announced which health economies will receive a share of the £325m of extra capital funding that was pledged to the NHS in the spring budget.

The money will be paid to the 15 “strongest” sustainability and transformation partnerships over the next three years.

Simon Stevens

Source: Neil O’Connor

‘When you back the NHS with investment, both patients and taxpayers see the practical benefits’

Dorset will receive one of the largest awards, with £100m to enable a reconfiguration of acute services between the two hospitals in Bournemouth and Poole.

Greater Manchester will receive up to £80m for consolidating emergency general surgery at four hospitals and building a new major trauma centre.

The allocations were announced by health secretary Jeremy Hunt and NHS England chief executive Simon Stevens.

Final funding allocations will be dependent on business cases being successfully approved, and will depend on robust, wider estates and capital strategies that demonstrates that NHS surplus land disposals are being maximised.

STPs getting a share of the £325m

Dorset has been allocated at least £100m to implement a major consolidation of emergency and planned care services between Bournemouth and Poole hospitals. The preferred option is to centralise emergency services in Bournemouth and planned care in Poole.
Greater Manchester will receive up to £50m to consolidate emergency general surgery at four hospitals under the Healthier Together programme, and up to £30m to build a new major trauma centre at Salford Royal Hospital.
West, North and East Cumbria has been awarded up to £105m for a new cancer centre and equipment at Cumberland Infirmary in Carlisle, as well as significant refurbishment and rebuilding work at West Cumberland Hospital, and the development of eight integrated care hubs.
Lancashire and South Cumbria has been allocated up to £30m to modernise mental health facilities and expand accident and emergency facilities at the Royal Blackburn Hospital.
South Yorkshire and Bassetlaw has been awarded up to £10m to improve acute hospital facilities.
Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland has been awarded up to £50m for a 15 bed inpatient unit at Glenfield General Hospital, to bring specialist mental health provision together with other services, and to fund an expansion of intensive care at University Hospitals of Leicester Foundation Trust.
Hereford and Worcestershire has been awarded up to £30m to consolidate maternity services, emergency surgery, and children’s services at Worcestershire Royal Hospital. The plan is to withdrawn these services from Alexandra Hospital in Redditch, which will receive investment for elective care, endoscopy, children’s outpatients and theatre upgrades.
Derbyshire will get up to £40m to expand the emergency department at Royal Derby Hospital, creating space for 37 more minor injury beds, 10 emergency bays and additional resus facilities. The money will also allow the hospital to co-locate mental health assessment, GP care and out of hours services, and create a new facility that collocates community services, outpatient clinics, testing and diagnostics, and specialist rehabilitation services together in one place.
Nottingham and Nottinghamshire has been awarded up to £15m to improve and expand access to primary, community and social care.
Mid and South Essex will receive up to £15m to expand its capacity for diagnostics and improve outpatient services.
Suffolk and North East Essex has been allocated up to £10m for a new primary care hub in North Clacton, and the relocation of a GP surgery in West Suffolk.
Milton Keynes, Bedfordshire and Luton will get up to £5m to invest in a primary care hub.
Norfolk and Waveney has been allocated up to £5m to fund acute mental health beds in west Norfolk.
Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire West has been awarded up to £5m for a rapid assessment and treatment centre and observation unit at Stoke Mandeville Hospital.
North East London will get up to £5m for redesigning the urgent care centre at King George’s Hospital.

When announcing the additional funding in March, chancellor Philip Hammond said further cash would be made available in the autumn budget.

Mr Stevens said: “This is the first down payment of much needed investment in modern equipment and NHS facilities, with more promised in the autumn and beyond. Today is proof positive that when you back the NHS with investment, both patients and taxpayers see the practical benefits.”

Niall Dickson, chief executive of the NHS Confederation, said: “This is a small step in the right direction. Given that the Conservatives have promised £10bn of extra capital for the NHS in England, we should expect a much more serious capital injection in the budget statement later this year.

“We also welcome this endorsement of the STPs – they will be critical in changing the way care is delivered all over England.

“The decision to rate individual STPs is a mixed blessing. While there is a case for setting a baseline to measure future progress, we are concerned that the measures at this point must be relatively crude.

“It may make sense to incentivise those who are most advanced, and set a baseline for future progress but it would be a mistake to stigmatise partnerships that are at an early stage in their development. There will be good reasons why some areas are progressing more slowly and it’s vital we give them the support they need, rather than point the finger.”