Hospital works yet to start despite government claim – trust

Refurbishing works at two London hospitals under the government’s “40 new hospitals” pledge are yet to begin, a health trust says, despite claims by the health secretary they were already under way.

Steve Barclay told MPs work had started on building temporary wards at Charing Cross Hospital, so that the rest of the building could be refurbished.

He added a rehabilitation cardiac hub was being built at Hammersmith Hospital, but Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, which manages the hospitals, told the BBC work under the scheme had not started at either building.

A Department for Health spokesperson says the government “remains committed to delivering all schemes” in its New Hospital Programme.