Improving our estate
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£115m to be spent this year to reduce estate risks and improve experience at Imperial College Healthcare in response to redevelopment delays
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£25.2m from Government’s new Estates Safety Fund – one of largest awards nationally
Funding sources include £25.25m awarded last week through the Government’s Estates Safety Fund – one of the largest allocations in the scheme intended to address critical infrastructure and safety risks.
Sources also include an additional £9m awarded through the Government’s 2025/26 constitutional standards recovery capital funding stream, £29.7m from the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme secured in 2024, and £3m for imaging machine upgrades announced in March.
This additional central funding will be combined with the Trust’s own capital budget which stands at £60m for 2025/26. Imperial Health Charity has committed a further £2m so far for 2025/26 towards schemes to deliver significant improvements in patient and staff experience.
With New Hospital Programme funding delayed for a new St Mary’s and for major refurbishment and redevelopment schemes at Charing Cross and Hammersmith hospitals, there is a growing need for short term investment to reduce the risk of major estate failures which would have further safety, operational and efficiency impacts. The cost to eradicate high risk maintenance backlog on the three sites is now over £420m.
Professor Tim Orchard, chief executive of Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, said: “Some of our buildings are over 180 years old and we have the largest high risk maintenance backlog of any NHS Trust. We are relieved and grateful to have additional support for managing the safety and operational risks this brings. We are also fortunate to have an excellent estates team who work miracles and a fantastic wider workforce who go the extra mile, as well as great support from Imperial Health Charity.
“The past year has been particularly challenging, with power outages, loss of water, flooding, collapsing floors and ceilings and even a fire. We have revised our estates approach to make larger investments in safety and maintenance where possible, while making the most of that and all other capital investment to support operational flow and improved patient and staff experience. But the only real solution – and the most cost effective one - is the redevelopment of all three of our main sites.”
A new, 800-bed St Mary’s Hospital and the redevelopment of the wider campus plus major refurbishment and new build at both Charing Cross and Hammersmith hospitals are included in wave three of the Government’s New Hospital Programme (NHP). The Western Eye Hospital is due to be incorporated into the most suitable of these schemes. However, following the outcome of the Government’s NHP review in January, NHP funding for construction was delayed until 2035 at the earliest. In February, we were able to confirm NHP funding would be continued for the St Mary’s scheme – where need is most urgent – to complete detailed design and planning while we work with partners to explore options for additional, alternative funding approaches for the main building works. We continue to consider next steps for the Charing Cross and Hammersmith schemes, both of which would be able to be progressed on a phased basis if funding becomes available.
Appendix
Key capital schemes and total capital spend for 2025/26 by site (as of 1 June 2025)
Charing Cross Hospital
| Scheme/description | 2025/26 investment | Due to be completed |
|---|---|---|
| Decarbonisation and energy efficiency | £7,305,000 | December 27 |
| Ventilation and air handling improvements | £7,000,000 | March 26 |
| Fire safety improvements | £6,000,000 | March 26 |
| Same day emergency care unit expansion | £4,500,000 | March 26 |
| New surgical assessment unit | £4,500,000 | March 26 |
| MRI replacement x 2 | £4,400,000 | March 26 |
| Theatre upgrades | £4,000,000 | March 26 |
| Linear accelerator replacement (radiotherapy machines) | £2,905,000 | March 26 |
| Electrical infrastructure improvements | £2,265,000 | March 26 |
| 3 West Ward refurbishment | £1,832,000 | December 25 |
| Water and drainage improvements | £1,500,000 | March 26 |
| Ground and first floor redesign and refurbishment | £1,400,000 (£5,000,000 total over three years) | March 27 |
| 8 West Ward refurbishment | £733,000 | December 25 |
| Other schemes | £1,574,000 | |
| Total | £49,914,000 |
Hammersmith/Queen Charlotte’s and Chelsea Hospital
| Scheme/description | 2025/26 investment | Due to be completed |
|---|---|---|
| Decarbonisation/energy efficiency | £29,088,000 | December 27 |
| Electrical infrastructure improvements | £4,200,000 | March 26 |
| Ward improvements and reconfiguration/expansion of intensive care unit | £2,747,000 | March 26 |
| Water and drainage improvements | £2,500,000 | March 26 |
| Garry Weston (cancer) unit – ground floor refurbishment | £1,000,000 | March 26 |
| Other schemes | £2,309,000 | |
| Total | £41,844,000 |
St Mary’s Hospital
| Scheme/description | 2025/26 investment | Due to be completed |
|---|---|---|
| Refurbishment of angio suite | £4,783,000 | March 27 |
| Refurbishment of Acrow buildings and 4th floor of Clarence Wing | £4,000,000 | |
| Electrical infrastructure improvements (including universal power supply upgrade) | £2,700,000 | March 26 |
| Refurbishment of outpatient clinics | £1,800,000 | |
| MRI scanner replacement | £1,300,000 | |
| Relocation and improvements for in-patient pharmacy dispensary | £1,000,000 | December 26 |
| Emergency department refurbishment | £864,000 | March 26 |
| Other schemes | £1,750,000 | |
| Total | £18,197,000 |
Western Eye Hospital
| Scheme/description | 2025/26 investment | Due to be completed |
|---|---|---|
| Redesign and refurbishment of ground floor and emergency department | £830,000 (£1,660,000 total over two years) | December 26 |
| Other schemes | £500,000 | |
| Total | £1,330,000 |
Trust-wide projects
| Scheme/description | 2025/26 investment | Due to be completed |
|---|---|---|
| LED lighting upgrades | £2,600,000 | December 25 |
| Other schemes | £680,000 | |
| Total | £3,280,000 |
The Estates Safety Fund allocation will be spent as follows:
| Site | Allocation |
|---|---|
| Charing Cross Hospital | £16,500,000 |
| Hammersmith Hospital | £4,750,000 |
| St Mary’s Hospital | £2,000,000 |
| Cross-site | £2,000,000 |
