Some NHS buildings are 150 years old and need updating, finds report

A report is warning that nearly 30 NHS sites in Somerset should be significantly upgraded or replaced in the coming years to keep them fit for purpose

The NHS Somerset integrated care board has published its infrastructure strategy, identifying which buildings across the county will need to be improved to meet the growing and changing needs of Somerset residents.

As part of this review, 28 individual buildings (or elements of wider complexes) have been singled out as being “poor quality”, with NHS guidance stating these sites “should be phased out when alternative estate is available”.

The ICB’s infrastructure strategy was published in full before its most recent board meeting, which took place in Yeovil on September 26.

It encompasses a huge range of property, including acute hospitals (i.e. Musgrove Park Hospital and Yeovil Hospital), community hospitals, mental health facilities, doctors’ surgeries and dental practices.

A spokesman said: “The public health and care estate in Somerset is large and varies considerably in its condition and age.

“Some of our buildings are modern and flexible, fit for modern healthcare delivery. Others are more than 150 years old and no longer easy to keep safe.

“Our infrastructure strategy lays out the significant challenges faced in doing this, particularly given funding restrictions and the increasing difficulties of managing greater demand in facilities which are not fit for purpose.”

Somerset faces a number of key challenges which will impact its health infrastructure in the coming years – such as demographic change (i.e. having a relatively elderly population), housing growth, lack of key worker accommodation, a maintenance backlog and a shortage of funding for major capital projects (such as new hospitals or doctors’ surgeries).

To determine where the need for improvement is greatest and most urgent, the infrastructure strategy puts all the county’s healthcare assets into one of three categories:

‘Core’ – meaning the building is good quality and fit for purpose

‘Flex’ – meaning the building is of acceptable quality but does not allow the NHS to “fully realise its ambitions”

‘Tail’ – meaning the building is poor quality and not fit for purpose

Buildings of different categories can often be found on the same site, often in close proximity.

For instance, Musgrove Park Hospital in Taunton includes the Jubilee building, which opened in 2013 and is categorised as ‘core’; however, the adjacent Queen’s and Princess buildings are classed as ‘flex’ since they have “reached the end of their intended lifespan”.

The same hospital’s maternity services and some of its operating theatres are classed as ‘tail’, since they are more than 70 years old and are “expensive to maintain and keep safe”.

While the theatres will soon be demolished once their replacements have been constructed, funding for a new maternity unit has not yet been secured.

The following properties all fall into the ‘tail’ category, and are therefore viewed as not fit for purpose:

Talking therapies unit, Angel Place Shopping Centre, Bridgwater

The South West Child Health Information Service, The Exchange, Bridgwater

Bruton Surgery, Patwell Lane, Bruton

Burnham-on-Sea Memorial Hospital (including Peter Holmes annexe), B3140 Love Lane, Burnham-on-Sea

Chard Community Hospital, A30 Crewkerne Road, Chard

Essex House Medical Centre, A30 Fore Street, Chard

Crewkerne Hospital, Middle Path, Crewkerne

22-23a Market Place, Frome

North Petherton Surgery, Mill Street, North Petherton

Shepton Mallet Community Hospital (including admin block and maternity unit), Bucklers Way, Shepton Mallet

Grove House Surgery, Grove Court, Shepton Mallet

Sharpham building, Shape Mendip campus, A371 Cannard’s Grave Road, Shepton Mallet

Parkgate House, A38 East Reach, Taunton

Tower Vaccination Centre, Tower Street, Taunton

Musgrove Park Hospital maternity unit, Parkfield Drive, Taunton

C Block, County Hall, The Crescent, Taunton

Templecombe Surgery, Station Road, Templecombe

Wedmore Surgery, St. Medard Road, Wedmore

Wellington Dental Access Centre, Mantle Street, Wellington

Wellington Community Hospital, Burford, Wellington

Stratfield Day Centre, Burford, Wellington

Luson Surgery, 41 Fore Street, Wellington

Units 8, 10a & 12, Bartec, Brympton Way, Yeovil

Yeovil Dental Access Centre, Preston Road, Yeovil

Oaklands Surgery, Birchfield Road, Yeovil

Penn Hill Surgery, St. Nicholas Close, Yeovil

Offices within Brympton House, Brympton Way, Yeovil

Petters House, Petters Way, Yeovil

Hear all the latest news from across the UK on the hour, every hour, on Greatest Hits Radio on DAB, smartspeaker, at greatesthitsradio.co.uk, and on the Rayo app.