Additional government funding welcomed by NHS trusts

Solent NHS Trust and Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust will receive money from the Department for Health and Social Care, it was announced yesterday.

The £10m injection for Solent, which operates in Portsmouth, will see phase 2 of the St Mary’s Hospital development begin. Block B at the Milton site will be refurbished, meaning services will be able to relocate.

Sue Harriman, chief executive, said: ‘We have made significant investment in our estate to ensure our premises are designed to best meet the needs of our patients and service users, while also future proofing them. This welcome £10.3m injection allows us to complete the second phase of our re-development.’

Dr Linda Collie, chief clinical officer for Portsmouth Clinical Commissioning Group, also welcomed the government funding.

She said: ‘St Mary’s is of fundamental importance to the NHS in Portsmouth, and so the announcement of this funding is welcome news.’

Southern Health, which provides mental health and community care in Gosport, Fareham and Havant, will receive £3m towards extra mental health beds.

Chief executive Nick Broughton said: ‘The aims are to increase the availability of beds for young people who require highly-specialised mental health care from across the south. This would help more young people receive care closer to their homes.’