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More delay for PFI wing
‘Financial’ problems mean
hospital annexe will open two years late
THE long-running saga of the Whittington Hospital’s
£45 million new wing looks set to drag on as further delays
to the new building were announced this week.
The first phase of the troubled project, due to be completed
next month, will now not be ready until June, according to a
revised timetable drawn up by managers.
Hospital bosses will then spend up to six weeks testing the
new four-storey wing housing a new entrance to the hospital,
a food court and specialist care wards.
It is now expected to be open to the public at the end of July
at the earliest – more than two years later than scheduled.
Helena Kania, chairwoman of the Whittington’s patient and
public involvement forum told a meeting of the liaison group
on Wednesday that the project team – Secondary Market Infrastructure
Fund (SMIF) - had run into “financial” and “staffing”
problems.
SMIF took over the project from original contractor Jarvis last
February after the construction firm ran into financial difficulties.
Jarvis had won a lucrative private finance initiative contract
three years ago to build and manage the new wing.
Ms Kania said: “My understanding is that there were financial
and staffing problems within the project team that compounded
the delays.
“The hospital management team were not happy with the revised
timetable they were given so they sat down with the project
managers and agreed these new dates.”
Asked about costs to the hospital incurred because of the delays,
Ms Kania said: “The costs will be borne by the project
team, not the hospital.”
A 20-bed £150,000 private wing called the Highgate Hill
Treatment Centre was officially opened at the Whittington two
weeks ago. |
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