Having repeatedly chased the Government for final approval for the rebuild of the Weybridge Health Centre, I have received an update which indicates further progress, but primarily highlights how lengthy and complicated the process continues to be to get this project over the line so construction can begin.
The letter (available below) confirms that funding approval has been granted through NHS Property Services, but that final sign off for the business case is still required through NHS England, a further layer of bureaucracy and potential delay.
It is incredibly frustrating that sign off for a project such as this appears to require so many stages. Such delays can cause real problems, including budget pressures as costs continue to rise. This has been seen across many public sector projects of all sizes, and lessons must be learnt so projects such as this can be delivered quicker and more efficiently.
This is an issue I have already raised with the Government regarding nationally significant infrastructure projects, and one I will raise again with Ministers to press for greater efficiency in Government.
In the meantime, I have written to NHS England asking them to confirm the remaining actions needed, and a timescale for each, for construction work to be able to start on the new Weybridge Health Centre. With each milestone we come a step closer to getting this built, and I will continue to keep up the pressure until this has been delivered.
