NHS Wales major repairs backlog nears £1bn

NHS Wales major repairs backlog nears £1bn 13 minutes ago Share Save Add as preferred on Google Steve Duffy , BBC Wales and Owain Clarke , Wales health correspondent The backlog of maintenance and repairs in NHS buildings in Wales deemed at "high" or "significant risk" has reached nearly £1bn, figures reveal. Some political parties ahead of May's Senedd election are promising new hospitals as part of their policy offer. But whatever the complexion of the incoming Welsh government, it will face up to an ageing and potentially budget-draining legacy of health service buildings. We have looked at a detailed breakdown of the state of 210 NHS Wales sites, ranging from community clinics to major general hospitals. The "high" and "significant" risk backlog has grown to £917m, a 71% rise in four years, according to NHS Wales Shared Services Partnership figures. That includes a bill of more than £616m to fix the most serious issues at 12 of Wales' 13 main hospitals. Looking at a detailed breakdown of issues around NHS Wales buildings, published for 2024-25, the figures show: Ysbyty Gwynedd has a £110.5m backlog of high risk and significant maintenance and repair University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff is close behind with a £106.8m backlog Three hospitals (Bronglais, Prince Philip and Ysbyty Gwynedd) have 40% or more of their space not considered fire safety compliant Ysbyty Gwynedd also has 35% of its space not regarded as health and safety compliant There are more than 30 NHS sites which have more than half of buildings pre-dating the birth of the NHS in 1948, mostly clinics and community hospitals Another 17 sites, including the UHW and Bronglais hospitals, have buildings mostly between 50 and 60 years old. A map of the main hospitals and health boards in Wales shows issues across the country. Only the recently-opened £350m Grange hospital near Cwmbran has no maintenance problems. It opened early during the Covid pandemic but had been first proposed in 2004 and was the fi...