Leeds General Infirmary: Councillors urged to encourage Government to speed up delayed upgrade

They were told they were being “too timid” in a debate on plans for Leeds General Infirmary (LGI).

Building work on a new children’s hospital, adults’ hospital and maternity centre will not start until at least 2032.

Bosses at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust (LTH) have said it means the scheme may not be delivered until 20 years after first being announced. The trust was told of the decision last month following a national review of NHS building projects.

Leeds City Council’s executive board agreed to help with negotiations to secure earlier funding at a meeting on Tuesday (February 12).

Alan Lamb, Conservative group leader, said he supported the move.

But he said: “In my view we are being too timid and too nice. I think we need to find our voice.”

A review of the national New Hospital Programme was first launched by chancellor Rachel Reeves, Leeds West and Pudsey Labour MP, in the summer.

Councillors were told it meant some services in LGI, which is more than 150 years old, being relocated. The trust has said it faces a maintenance backlog of around £650m.

Delays to the LGI scheme have added an estimated £800m to the cost of the project.

Coun Lamb, who represents Wetherby, said: “The ramifications of this are enormous. I think it’s absolutely appalling that they have sold Leeds down the river.”

Hospital bosses hope possible delays and under-spends on other NHS schemes could free up cash for the Leeds project.

Jenny Ehrhardt, LTH finance director, told the meeting: “Some of those schemes are not well developed at this stage.”

Fiona Venner, the council’s executive member for health and well-being, said the previous Conservative government failed to allocate funds for hospital upgrades.

She told Coun Lamb: “You can’t credibly blame six months of a Labour government for the state of LGI, or the wider NHS. We will continue to make our case to government, as we have since 2019.”

Coun Lamb said he accepted some blame was attached to be previous government.

But he said: “If this was Manchester, Andy Burnham would be banging the drum loud and clear.”