Why the UK Needs More Hospitals to Be Built

In 2020, there were just under 2,000 hospitals in the UK, but the country urgently needs more if the NHS is to continue to deliver first-rate healthcare to the UK’s population. In this article, we’ll explore the multiple reasons why more hospitals are needed, as well as the importance of investing in hospital construction to address the healthcare needs of the nation.

Growing Healthcare Demand

A rising demand for healthcare means that existing healthcare infrastructure is struggling to meet demand. This is partly a result of population growth, with the UK population having increased by 5.9% in the last decade. The ageing population of the country is also a factor, as it means more people are living for longer and requiring healthcare services for longer.

Similarly, advances in medical technology have increased demand for services, as patients are now surviving serious illnesses and accidents that would previously have been fatal and long-term health conditions are more prevalent than ever before. This surging demand is leading to longer waiting times, staff burnout and overwhelmed facilities.

Capacity Issues and Overcrowding

Many existing UK hospitals are facing capacity issues, with a lack of beds for patients to be admitted for routine or urgent care, along with overcrowding and unsuitable facilities, such as mixed-sex wards or clinical areas that aren’t fit for purpose.

These issues can often contribute to delays in treatment, place strain on already overworked healthcare professionals and directly impact a patient’s care and their experience during their treatment.

Overcrowding can also allow infections to spread more quickly amongst patients due to the proximity of patients to one another and a reduced ability to thoroughly clean clinical areas, which can lead to a rise in Hospital Acquired Infections, such as MRSA and Clostridium difficile.

Ageing Infrastructure

Outdated facilities can hinder the delivery of safe, effective healthcare, meaning that ageing hospital infrastructure frequently requires repair, modernisation and upgrades. Oftentimes, hospitals may have to shut off entire wards, departments or areas so that construction workers are able to cut out or remove aged or unsuitable elements with a rotary tool, demolition drills and other construction equipment before replacing them with more acceptable, modern areas in which to assess and treat patients.

Older, outdated buildings are also less likely to have disabled access and it can be trickier and more costly to retrofit old buildings with ramps, lifts and disabled toilets than it may be to construct a new building that is designed to be accessible from the outset.

Increased Waiting Times

The construction of new hospitals can help to alleviate longer waiting times for medical procedures and investigations. An increased capacity for medical professionals to see and treat patients without needing to wait for a bed or scanner to become free can lead to faster access to care, promoting timely treatment and quicker recovery for the patient. It also reduces pressure on stressed healthcare professionals, enabling them to carry out their jobs to the best of their abilities without facing unnecessary delays or difficulties due to lack of space or equipment.