All of the below information is collated into this handy and accessible document here.
In 2023, the Trust was unsuccessful in its bid for funds to create a new hospital in Doncaster.
Whilst this was undoubtedly disappointing news, as a Trust we are committed to push forward and we are now aiming for a scheme of ambitious improvement and refurbishment at Doncaster Royal Infirmary (DRI), in anticipation of limited funding becoming available.
These improvements, which are still subject to sign-off and not approved yet, would focus on four areas of the DRI site to address critical infrastructure risks and target areas with the greatest impact due to accommodating some of our most acutely ill patients. The improvements would also address almost 50% (approximately £50 million) of the current backlog maintenance of the site.
Crucially, the programme of works would allow the Trust to meet crucial safety requirements associated with the ageing estate whilst also improving the environment for healthcare provision, to care for today’s and future generations within Doncaster and its surrounding areas.
At a glance
In summary, here is what we are proposing:
- Relocation of the Department of Critical Care to the site’s ground floor. This would enable the development of the East Ward Block [priority].
- A full refurbishment of the East Ward Block (the main tower block of DRI) [priority].
- The creation of a new building in front of the East Ward Block [priority].
- Integration of two new modular theatres into the existing DRI theatre suite to support existing theatre refurbishment.
- Full refurbishment of the Women’s and Children’s Hospital.
- Creation of additional car parking capacity and on-site accommodation.
If approved, the above would be delivered over a multi-phase timeline, to the cost of approximately £360 million.
For those who want more information, we have collated the various strands of our bid for reinvestment on the page below, as well as on this handy PDF, why we are making the case and how we will use any funding we receive.
Skip to the headlines:
- Why this investment is important for Doncaster
- How would DBTH benefit from investment?
- What improvements would be made?
- The plan in detail
- Your questions answered
- Share your support
You can also view, and print, all of this information here. We are also keen to gain the support of Team DBTH – you can find out how, here.
Why this investment is important for Doncaster
- DRI needs to meet the demands of its community.
- Improving the buildings at DRI is crucial for safe healthcare.
- Refurbishment reduces the burden of maintenance costs.
How would DBTH benefit from investment?
The proposed investments resolve some of the poorest infrastructure for our most vulnerable patients and enable our longer-term goals, which are to:
- Ensure a safe site in Doncaster for a minimum of 20 years.
- Co-locate services to support improved productivity and efficiency.
- Protect core services for the future.
- Place vulnerable inpatients in the safest part of the site.
- Maximise the impact of the refurbishment investment.
- Vacate space for car parking and accommodation use.
What improvements would be made?
There are four priority improvements as part of this scheme.
Investment would firstly focus on resolution of critical infrastructure risk and safety concerns associated with the East Ward Block. This work would then enable a phased and longer-term approach to address further issues across the DRI site as part of an ongoing Trust capital programme.
The East Ward Block works are enabled by re-siting of the Critical Care department placing our most vulnerable patients on the ground floor and away from the refurbishment works. In addition, a new building will be created just in front of the East Ward Block, where services will be decanted whilst refurbishment works are ongoing. The estimated timeline for this is between four and five years.
Other sub-bids include completion of Women’s and Children’s Hospital refurbishment, and creation of decant space for subsequent refurbishment of Theatres.
Other potential improvements include extending the provision of car parking and staff accommodation. There are associated benefits with re-siting and remodelling clinical areas that would allow service reconfiguration to maximise patient flow within the site and free up redundant space.
Potential future stages of work (following first five years of refurbishment plan, if successful in application for funding):
- Demolition of the laundry building to create capacity for additional parking and on-site accommodation.
- Fit out of East Ward Block vacant ‘shell space’ to create permanent capacity for wards currently housed in West and South Blocs.
- Vacation and demolition of the West Ward Block*.
- Demolition of D Block and the Old Ambulance Station (and usage of adjacent plot) to clear site for additional car parking and accommodation*.
* Colleagues would be consulted before any major works take place, with in-depth discussions about future and interim accommodation.
Improvements summary:
- Re-site of Critical Care department.
- East Ward block refurbishment.
- Theatres refurbishment.
- Women’s and Children’s Block refurbishment completion.
- Better provision of patient flow.
- Extra car parking provision and staff accommodation.
The plan in detail
Access more comprehensive information about the plans within the proposal, ‘Building a better hospital for the people of Doncaster’.
Your questions answered
Why is the Trust no longer pursuing a new hospital on a new site?
DBTH bid to be part of the New Hospitals Programme (NHP) which is the only route to major capital funding for replacement of a whole hospital in the coming years. The programme was oversubscribed and Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) review did not prioritise the replacement of DRI. However, the significant issues faced at the site have been well communicated and recognised.
DHSC is developing a program called ‘New Hospitals Lite’ which seeks to address backlog maintenance issues at locations across the country where NHP funding is not available. There is the opportunity for the DRI project to act as a pilot for this programme.
Can the DRI site infrastructure safety issues be resolved through refurbishment?
DBTH is currently investing significant amounts of money to keep pace with the deterioration of the DRI site. Local and ICS capital funding is insufficient and this is a losing battle.
However, through a major injection of investment to address the worst parts of the site, eradicating up to 43% of the backlog maintenance, both capital and revenue funding is released which can then be focused on the remaining site areas.
Additionally, the retained decant space contained in the new building and the redundant shell space created in East Ward Block will allow us to shift services out of West Ward Block, for subsequent demolition and further backlog maintenance reductions, whilst also allowing us to decant services away from South Ward Block so it can then be upgraded.
What other benefits can this investment deliver?
Whilst refurbishment of existing buildings will not allow for everything we would have wished for in a new build, it does allow us to reconfigure where services are provided, creating better co-location of clinical teams.
We can also make patient spaces better, increasing the number of ensuite facilities and providing a few more single rooms and smaller bays. This would also help with infection control.
Addressing net zero carbon targets cannot be fully realised through refurbishment of existing buildings but works will go some way towards improving energy efficiency and of course the new decant building will be fully compliant with modern standards.
Reducing backlog maintenance and improving safety will also reduce disruption created by infrastructure failure, especially concerning electrical issues, leaky roofs and failing mechanical services.
In addition, improvements to fire compartmentation will reduce the need for fire wardens and other safety measures and make progress against enforcement notices.
The works will also create a better environment for patients and staff.
Why is East Ward Block selected for the first stage of investment?
East Ward Block is the largest and tallest building on site with nine floors. It has significant backlog maintenance and houses some of our most vulnerable patients.
Bringing this building up to Category B standards for the occupied areas, and resolving core issues in the areas to be left vacant, makes a significant indent in the site backlog maintenance.
The enabling for the East Ward Block programme includes relocation the Critical Care Department, which is on the 7th floor of the building, down to ground floor space which is much more appropriate for its patients.
How long will it take to make the improvements to East Ward Block?
The programme of works is estimated to take 4.7 years for the preferred approach which leaves half the building as shell space for future works across the site. The costs are significant at circa £300m and as such will be subject to a full business case process and HM Treasury approval. This may take up to 2 years although an accelerated process is being investigated by DHSC in line with RAAC hospitals. This would mean that the new building becomes available by around 2030 but with the Critical Care works being ready much sooner by 2026.
Will patient services be affected during the refurbishment works?
DRI is a congested site and any works will result in some degree of disruption. Moving Critical Care first means that our most vulnerable patients are out of the way of the works and the provision of decant space in the form of a new building at the front of the East Ward Block will make interim moves of services easier.
The programme will look to move services only once wherever possible and the overall strategy is to build the new decant building, move half of East Ward Block into it, complete the refurbishment works in the vacate half and then move the other half into the newly refurbished space prior to doing the ‘shell’ works on the remaining half of the building.
Due to the nature of the services in the building this limits or avoids any temporary shut downs of services such as water and electrics and separates patient occupied areas from the works, noise and vibration.
Why do we need such a large new building to enable the East Ward Block refurbishment works?
As described in the previous point, the works on East Ward Block will require accommodation for half of the space in the building at anyone time. This is not only driven by the need to avoid disruption to clinical services, but also due to the nature of the services in the building.
Options for a smaller decant space have been examined but they are extremely difficult to make viable and have been dismissed.
Why are we also looking at improvements for Theatres, Department of Critical Care and the Women’s and Children’s block?
Firstly, these areas are in need of refurbishment as they have high levels of backlog maintenance.
The opportunity to include these schemes in the investment was created by DHSC who recommended that some smaller schemes could be taken forward if they were fundable within the DHSC’s delegated limit of £25m. Secondly, they are catalysts for further site improvements with the Critical Care works supporting the East Ward Block scheme and the provision of two additional theatres allows much needed improvement to our current theatres by creating space to vacate and refurbish them on a rolling programme. Also, the theatres were built many years ago and do not meet modern standards in terms of space and the options within this scheme also consider some reconfiguration of current theatres to make them bigger. This in turn will support service developments such as robotics.
How does this investment support the future development and improvement of the DRI site?
Two of the key challenges associated with the DRI site is its intense use, with every square metre occupied and the highly congested nature of the site which limits the extent to which works can be undertaken.
By resolving some of the highest priority areas and through creation of redundant capacity through ‘shell space’ in the East Ward Block, we will have ‘swing space’ to allow decant and refurbishment of other areas of the site.
The reduction in backlog maintenance associated with the investment in the initial schemes will release capital and revenue funding to initiate a rolling programme of improvement to more rapidly address the remaining issues on the site.
Alongside the infrastructure improvements, we are working with ICB colleagues to consider where services are best delivered from with the aim of moving some services closer to home. This will include consideration of services moving to other provider sites, either within the DBTH hospitals or to other providers, or into new community settings.
Parking and key worker accommodation are significant issues for patients and staff with insufficient provisions currently available at DRI. Rationalisation of the site both through the infrastructure programme and greater focus on where patients are best cared for will release space. This will result in some demolitions and land can then be sold with the aim that partnerships with local businesses will allow commercial collaboration to create much needed parking and accommodation.
What will investment mean for staff and patients?
Provided the business cases are approved, the investment marks the start of a programme of activity which will see major improvements to the DRI site.
Inevitably there will be disruption for staff and patients during the works but this will be limited as far as possible.
The environment for patients and staff will be significantly improved and the impact of regular disruption through infrastructure failure will be progressively eradicated. Co-location of services on-site and a move of some services closer to home will make the care pathways better for both patients and staff.
Release of capital and revenue funding over time as backlog works are complete can start to be invested into service development.
After a long period of uncertainty, it is hoped that decisions in 2024 will provide assurance that much needed improvements to the DRI site will be made.
Share your support
There are ways you can get involved.
Get in touch with your MP
You can help by expressing your support for the proposed improvements. Write a letter or send an email to your MP or councillor, and include how you feel the improvements would help to make your local hospital better for your community.
Pledge your support on social media
If you use Twitter, Instagram or Facebook, please share our posts to spread awareness of our proposals.
We will be sharing the hashtag #ABetterDRIforDonny
Alternatively, you can ask questions or give your feedback in the form below.
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