Surgeons respond to the National Audit Office's update on the New Hospital Programme
16 Jan 2026
Responding to the National Audit Office (NAO) update on the New Hospital Programme (NHP), Mr Tim Mitchell, President of the Royal College of Surgeons of England (RCS England), said:
“A steadier plan is better than drifting, but patients cannot wait a decade for capacity that we need now. NHS trusts will be pouring scarce funds into patching up old buildings for longer, when that money should be used to create extra operating theatres, securing ring fenced beds and making sure that there is enough staff to run them.
“Our latest surgical workforce census shows surgeons repeatedly blocked by a shortage of theatre space. Unless we fix capacity with further capital investment, the waiting times target will stay out of reach.”
ENDS
Notes to editors:
1. The NAO update: https://www.nao.org.uk/reports/update-on-the-new-hospital-programme/
2. The Royal College of Surgeons of England provides world-class education, assessment, and development to 30,000 surgeons, dental professionals, and members of the wider surgical and dental care teams at all stages of their careers. Our vision is to see excellent surgical care for everyone. We do this by setting professional standards, facilitating research, and championing the best outcomes for patients.
3. For more information, please contact the press office: telephone: 020 7869 6053/6054/6060; email: pressoffice@rcseng.ac.uk; out-of-hours media enquiries: 0207 869 6056.