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The British government has announced a further three community hospitals as part of the biggest health building plan in the history of the National Health Service (NHS).
Health minister Ben Bradshaw said the schemes would all be in the south east of England and have a total capital value of £76.3m, of which £23.5m would come from the community hospitals programme.
Outlining the schemes on a visit to a newly opened health centre in Nottinghamshire, Mr Bradshaw said the new hospitals would contribute to the measures already under way to improve patient access in the NHS.
Each new hospital has been designed to offer a range of services tailored to the needs of the communities they serve. Plans also include minor injuries units and integrated health and social care facilities.
To date, 27 schemes have been approved through the community hospitals and services programme with a total value of £382.7m, bringing government spending from the programme up to £239.7m.
“The public have repeatedly told us that accessible and convenient primary care is a priority for them, which is why we are re-thinking the way the NHS provides care,” Mr Bradshaw said.
“These hospitals contribute to the raft of measures already under way to improve access through an additional 150 GP-led health centres in each PCT area around the country.”
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