The figures show it cost £13.6bn to run the NHS estate in 2023/24, up by 11% on the year earlier, with the cost of high risk repairs waiting to be done up 16% to £2.7bn.
Saffron Cordery, deputy chief executive, NHS Providers, said: ‘The list of essential repairs across the NHS waiting to be done keeps getting longer and the costs are rocketing.
‘This can't go on. Eye-watering sums are needed just to patch up buildings and equipment which are in a very bad way right across hospitals, mental health, community health and ambulance services.
‘With the Government's Budget less than a fortnight away it's vital ministers provide an urgent capital funding boost and rethink rules on capital investment in the NHS so that trusts can tackle the near-£14bn maintenance backlog, give patients safe surroundings and boost productivity.'
Sarah Woolnough, chief executive at The King's Fund, said the £13.8bn backlog would be a ‘significant obstacle to the NHS increasing productivity and delivering more value for taxpayers and better quality care for patients'.
She said all eyes would be on the forthcoming Budget in a few weeks, ‘for signs that this Government is taking a longer-term approach to investing in health and care services'.
NHS England Matthew Taylor, chief executive of the NHS Confederation, said: ‘It is clear that the NHS must have more capital funding if it is going to tackle crumbling estates, replace out-dated equipment, invest in the latest digital technologies and boost productivity. Health leaders have told us that they need an annual rise in capital funding of £6.4bn each year of the current spending review period if they are going to achieve these ambitions.
‘The Government has a fantastic opportunity to use its upcoming 10-year plan for the NHS to give the health service the long-term financial security it needs. If it can address the lack of capital funding then our members will be able to unlock more productivity to tackle waiting lists and improve performance.
A DHSC spokesperson said: ‘This Government inherited a broken NHS - and to fix it, we recognise the importance of strategic, value-for-money capital investments. The upcoming Budget will begin delivering on the promise of change, including for the NHS.
‘As well as the vital reform we will deliver as part of our 10-Year Health Plan, we will ensure the NHS has the funding it needs as we build a health service fit for the future.'
