Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Gateshead to get £12 million for maternity facilities

Maternity facilities at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Gateshead are to be redeveloped under a £12 million allocation announced by the government, part of a wider investment of more than £1.5 billion in NHS buildings across England.

The department said the Gateshead scheme would provide a better environment for women receiving care. It is one of 10 major hospital projects sharing more than £200 million, alongside schemes in Stockport, Bristol, Buckinghamshire, Essex, Hertfordshire, Stafford and London covering new operating theatres, a children's ward, mental health units and pathology services.

The remaining £1.3 billion will go towards maintenance, safety and resilience work across the NHS estate, including more than £32 million for projects improving cooling, ventilation and overheating so hospitals can cope better with periods of extreme heat.

In total, more than 950 schemes have been approved nationally. These are intended to fix urgent problems affecting patients and staff, from fire safety improvements to replacing old ventilation systems and upgrading electrical equipment.

Yvette Cooper, Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, said hospitals had for decades focused on preparing for winter pressures but were now facing new challenges, including extreme heat and sustained pressure on services throughout the year. She said the investment would help hospitals remain open and able to care for patients when pressure was greatest, adding that it was "just the start" ahead of the government's 10 Year Capital Plan.