A £52 million scheme to rebuild four community hospitals in North Staffordshire has hit 'stalemate' – due to new NHS funding rules.

Initial plans for the integrated care hubs (ICHs) at the Leek Moorlands, Bradwell and Haywood Hospital sites, along with a new site in Longton, were agreed by local NHS commissioners in 2019.

Each of the hubs would bring together more than 40 health and social care services in modern, purpose-built facilities, with the aim of moving care closer to residents. But NHS England has yet to give local officials the green light to proceed with project, as there is 'currently no funding route available'.

Since the pandemic, the NHS regime for approving major capital projects has become more restrictive, with the prospect of additional scrutiny in future, leaving the ICH plans stuck in limbo. Adam McKeown, director of delivery and transformation at MPFT, which is leading on the project, gave Staffordshire county councillors an update on ICHs.

He told members of the health and care scrutiny committee that the new NHS finance rules had made a 'relatively straightforward' piece of work much more difficult. Mr McKeown said: "We have undertaken lobbying, of both local MPs and the Secretary of State. We've got to the point where outline business cases have been developed for the ICHs, but there is currently no appetite to sign those off from NHS England.

"So we're in the position which we didn't want to be in, where we have business cases, we have an operating model, and have undertaken a number of public engagement exercises, but at this stage we do not have permission to move forward to a full business case process and spend any of the money.

"We've tried to be as pragmatic as we possibly can, with the current sites we do have. At this stage, it's not a good message – essentially we're at a stalemate. We can't move forward with the build. We are currently doing everything we can to utilise an estate which is not entirely fit for purpose."

Mr McKeown said MPFT was now awaiting decisions in relation to NHS finances for 2025/26, along with a longer term settlement based on the NHS 10-year plan.

Leek councillor Charlotte Atkins asked why the ICH programme was dependent on the capital funding being released. She said: "Why can't ICHs proceed without major building works? The ICHs were supposedly offering 40-plus services, including mental health services, so why can't that be done? You've listed the services provided at Leek, so why can't that be expanded to the 40-plus services at the existing hospital?"

Mr McKeown said there was a limit to what services could be provided out of the older buildings, and the proposed operating model was reliant on new buildings. Cllr Atkins also quizzed Mr McKeown about the potential closure of Leek's minor injuries unit due to a move towards urgent treatment centres, but he said that was a matter for Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Integrated Care Board.

Committee members noted the MPFT's update, and also agreed to ask the ICB for more clarity on the plans for Leek's minor injuries unit.

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