Those are the words of Saffron Cordery, Deputy Chief Executive of NHS Providers, commenting on the provisional Estates Returns Information Collection (ERIC) data* for 2023/24 released by NHS Digital. The headline statistic is that the cost to eradicate backlog maintenance has now risen to £13.8 billion.
“Vital bits of the NHS are literally falling apart after years of underinvestment nationally. The safety of patients and staff is at risk,” says Saffron.
“Eye-watering sums are needed just to patch up buildings and equipment which are in a very bad way right across hospitals, mental health, community health and ambulance services.
"With the Government’s Budget less than a fortnight away it's vital ministers provide an urgent capital funding boost and rethink rules on capital investment in the NHS so that Trusts can tackle the near £14 billion maintenance backlog, give patients safe surroundings and boost productivity."
Key findings
• £13.6 billion: total cost of running the NHS estate
• 11.1 billion kWh: total energy usage from all energy sources across the NHS estate
• £1.5 billion: total cost for cleaning services
• £0.8 billion: total cost of providing inpatient food
• £13.8 billion: total cost to eradicate backlog maintenance.
* Six Trusts did not provide complete, signed-off ERIC data by the submission deadline:
Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust, Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust, Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust, and Somerset NHS Foundation Trust.
