šŸ„ Doncaster Royal Infirmary

Commons Chamber

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Doncaster Royal Infirmary urgently needs repairs due to underfunding and outdated infrastructure, posing safety risks to patients and staff. Sally Jameson passionately highlighted the hospitalā€™s plight in Parliament, emphasizing the need for governmental action to fund a comprehensive refurbishment plan costing up to Ā£356 million. The Health Minister acknowledged the issue, noting that while some improvements are underway, significant challenges remain due to past governmental neglect. The government has promised increased capital spending for healthcare, with specific allocations to address Doncasterā€™s critical needs, but long-term solutions are still pending.

Summary

  • Sally Jameson, MP for Doncaster Central, highlighted the urgent need for repairs and refurbishment at Doncaster Royal Infirmary (DRI) due to consistent underfunding and a high repair backlog.

  • The hospital, a vital community resource, is facing severe infrastructure issues particularly in the East Ward tower block, operating theatres, critical care department, and the women and childrenā€™s hospital.

  • Lee Pitcher, MP for Doncaster East and the Isle of Axholme, referenced a 2021 incident where a leak led to a fire, emphasizing the need for proactive maintenance to prevent such occurrences and ensure safety.

  • Despite a previous unsuccessful bid for funding under a new hospital programme, the Doncaster and Bassetlaw hospital trust has developed a comprehensive refurbishment plan costing up to Ā£356 million for various critical upgrades.

  • The Minister for Secondary Care, Karin Smyth, acknowledged the dire situation and confirmed ongoing efforts with Ā£19.8 million already allocated for critical care unit improvements at DRI.

  • The government has increased health capital spending to Ā£13.6 billion in 2025-26, with specific allocations to South Yorkshire integrated care board that could benefit DRI, including operational capital of Ā£107 million and Ā£19 million from an estates safety fund.

  • Additional funding streams, such as Ā£24 million for constitutional standards recovery and over Ā£2 billion for NHS technology and digital infrastructure, were mentioned as potential sources that could indirectly aid DRI.

  • The Minister emphasized the governmentā€™s commitment to long-term capital investment and stressed the need for cooperation between the trust and integrated care board to maximize the use of available funds for DRIā€™s refurbishment.

  • The session underscored the ongoing challenges faced by NHS hospitals like DRI and the governmentā€™s plans to address these issues through increased investment and strategic planning.

Divisiveness

The session exhibits minimal disagreement among the participants. Both Sally Jameson and Lee Pitcher, from the same political party (Labour), support the urgent need for repair and refurbishment of Doncaster Royal Infirmary. They discuss the hospitalā€™s condition and the immediate requirements without any dissent between them. The Minister for Secondary Care, Karin Smyth, also from the Labour party, acknowledges the issue and provides updates on government plans to address the hospitalā€™s infrastructure challenges. Although she hints at criticism towards the previous governmentā€™s funding, her remarks are directed towards policy and do not lead to a direct confrontation or disagreement with any other speaker in the session. The session focuses more on presenting the need and discussing possible solutions rather than hosting a debate with opposing viewpoints. There is a unified call to action for the hospitalā€™s improvement, which indicates a low level of disagreement, hence the rating of 1 on a scale of 1 to 5.