Health and Social Care – in the House of Commons at on 25 November 2025.
Sally Jameson
Labour/Co-operative, Doncaster Central
What steps he is taking to help reduce the repair backlog at Doncaster Royal infirmary.
Karin Smyth
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
We inherited a crumbling NHS estate. Many hospitals, including Doncaster Royal infirmary, are in a state of disrepair, thanks to the shocking record of the last 14 years. When I visited Doncaster Royal, I saw at first hand the outstanding care staff are providing despite significant infrastructure challenges. That is why the Government have supported Doncaster and Bassetlaw trust with £19.8 million in national funding to redevelop the critical care unit, and another £3.2 million from the estate safety fund for fire safety work. We have also provided nine years of certainty for maintenance budgets, allowing trusts to plan strategically and deliver further improvements.
Sally Jameson
Labour/Co-operative, Doncaster Central
As the Minister outlined, Doncaster was badly let down under the previous Administration, when after much fanfare and promise we were left off the new hospital programme. Since then, the trust has been working on revised capital projects to keep it going in the interim period, including a much-needed rebuild of the east block. Will the Minister continue to work with me and the trust to deal with the critical state of DRI?
Karin Smyth
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
My hon. Friend has been the most tireless campaigner on this issue since coming to the House in July 2024, so of course I will continue to work with her to support her local hospital. The previous Government neglected the NHS: those buildings were left to crumble and their new hospital programme was neither affordable nor deliverable. We are committed to reversing that decline and repairing hospitals like Doncaster Royal infirmary. That is why the trust will receive over £105 million in operational capital across the next four years to be allocated to local priorities, including repairs at Doncaster Royal infirmary.
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