WIREDGOV

Siva Anandaciva, Director of Policy, Events and Partnerships at The King’s Fund, commented on the latest Estates Returns Information Collection data for 2025/26

‘A maintenance backlog of £17.3 billion is a shocking indictment of the state of the NHS estate.

‘Every day, patients and staff are impacted by issues such as outdated equipment, faulty tech, concrete roofs at risk of collapse or sewage leaking through corridors. The dilapidated state of parts of the NHS is a national embarrassment. This isn’t the environment that taxpayers and patients expect their care to be delivered in nor the conditions that staff should be experiencing when they come to work.

‘Too many NHS buildings are fundamentally unequipped to handle the climate pressures we are facing year-round. Hospitals, GP practices and care homes will be impacted by everything from flooding in winter from burst pipes, to overheating equipment during summer heatwaves.

‘The government’s 10-year capital plan for health and care aims to take a more joined-up view of how buildings across our health and care system can support people’s wellbeing. It is welcome that this plan looks beyond fixing hospital settings to things like the NHS working closer with local authorities to address poor-quality housing, which might prevent children from ending up in A&E because they have developed respiratory conditions. This is the type of cross-government action we need to see.

‘But that ambition will count for little if NHS capital budgets continue to be raided, despite promises from the government to buck this trend. There are reports that the Defence Investment Plan will draw from NHS capital budgets, which would likely lead to further delays to the New Hospital Programme. This means that the hospitals in the worst state of disrepair will keep swallowing cash for emergency repairs rather than being properly invested in.

‘Without proper capital investment across all our healthcare settings, patients and staff will continue to pay the price and avoidable safety incidents will sadly remain rife. And if the government is not willing to fund the investment the NHS needs, it should be honest with the public about the consequences of this decision.’