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| Version 5 | Version 6 |
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| Children's hospital cash secured | Children's hospital cash secured |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| Funding for the final phase of the £50m Children's Hospital of Wales has been guaranteed by the health minister. | Funding for the final phase of the £50m Children's Hospital of Wales has been guaranteed by the health minister. |
| Edwina Hart confirmed she would underwrite a £1.2m gap in funding for the running costs to prevent the scheme being held up any further. | Edwina Hart confirmed she would underwrite a £1.2m gap in funding for the running costs to prevent the scheme being held up any further. |
| But she warned the health bodies involved that she did not expect the money to be drawn down and said she was not letting them "off the hook". | But she warned the health bodies involved that she did not expect the money to be drawn down and said she was not letting them "off the hook". |
| The £10m first phase of the hospital in Cardiff was opened in February 2005. | The £10m first phase of the hospital in Cardiff was opened in February 2005. |
| Based at the University Hospital of Wales (UHW), it includes two 25-bed medical wards and one 16-bed paediatric cancer ward. | Based at the University Hospital of Wales (UHW), it includes two 25-bed medical wards and one 16-bed paediatric cancer ward. |
| The £40m second phase, housing an intensive care unit, operating theatres and surgical wards, is due to open in 2010/11. | The £40m second phase, housing an intensive care unit, operating theatres and surgical wards, is due to open in 2010/11. |
| In July Cardiff Local Health Board (LHB) announced it could not afford its £1.1m share of expected annual running costs of the completed hospital. | In July Cardiff Local Health Board (LHB) announced it could not afford its £1.1m share of expected annual running costs of the completed hospital. |
| Obligations | Obligations |
| After Cardiff LHB refused to support the blueprint for the second phase a revised plan was submitted and health chiefs have been seeking agreement on the financial arrangements. | After Cardiff LHB refused to support the blueprint for the second phase a revised plan was submitted and health chiefs have been seeking agreement on the financial arrangements. |
| Ms Hart told assembly members on Wednesday she was "not prepared to see this scheme held up any longer while commissioners resolve differences between the trust and each other". | Ms Hart told assembly members on Wednesday she was "not prepared to see this scheme held up any longer while commissioners resolve differences between the trust and each other". |
| "I am therefore announcing today that I will underwrite that £1.2 million from my budget, in order to move the scheme forward," she said. | "I am therefore announcing today that I will underwrite that £1.2 million from my budget, in order to move the scheme forward," she said. |
| "I warn the organisations involved that I do not expect this sum of money to be drawn down." | "I warn the organisations involved that I do not expect this sum of money to be drawn down." |
| "It is for them to agree a long-term sustainable revenue arrangement". | "It is for them to agree a long-term sustainable revenue arrangement". |
| "My action is designed to prevent the scheme from being held up further now - not to let them off the hook in meeting their obligations," she added. | "My action is designed to prevent the scheme from being held up further now - not to let them off the hook in meeting their obligations," she added. |
| The hospital has attracted support from celebrity fundraisers | |
| The Noah's Ark Appeal was launched in May 2000 to find money to build Wales' only dedicated children's hospital and has currently raised £10m for the unit. | The Noah's Ark Appeal was launched in May 2000 to find money to build Wales' only dedicated children's hospital and has currently raised £10m for the unit. |
| Before the statement, the chair of the appeal's trustees Lyn Jones welcomed the news that funding for the project appeared to be secured. | Before the statement, the chair of the appeal's trustees Lyn Jones welcomed the news that funding for the project appeared to be secured. |
| But he said it "beggars belief" that the Wales Millennium Centre had recently been given a cash injection of £13.5m when the children's hospital project had had to fight for cash for so long. | But he said it "beggars belief" that the Wales Millennium Centre had recently been given a cash injection of £13.5m when the children's hospital project had had to fight for cash for so long. |
| Mr Jones said: "I think we could have been helped a little better actually. | Mr Jones said: "I think we could have been helped a little better actually. |
| 'Vital development' | |
| "It's taken so long, it's such a needy cause for a children's hospital, the only one in Wales, the only one in Europe. | "It's taken so long, it's such a needy cause for a children's hospital, the only one in Wales, the only one in Europe. |
| "It's disgusting really, it should have been handled better." | "It's disgusting really, it should have been handled better." |
| Hugh Ross, chief executive of Cardiff and Vale NHS Trust welcomed the announcement. | Hugh Ross, chief executive of Cardiff and Vale NHS Trust welcomed the announcement. |
| He said the trust, local health boards and Health Commission Wales were committed to working together to secure the future of the hospital. | |
| "It is a vital development that will improve the quality of care we are able to provide to some of our most sick children," he said. | "It is a vital development that will improve the quality of care we are able to provide to some of our most sick children," he said. |
| The appeal attracted support from celebrity fundraisers including cricket star Ian Botham, Hollywood actress Catherine Zeta Jones and singers Charlotte Church and Shirley Bassey. | The appeal attracted support from celebrity fundraisers including cricket star Ian Botham, Hollywood actress Catherine Zeta Jones and singers Charlotte Church and Shirley Bassey. |
| Zeta Jones and her husband, actor Michael Douglas, officially opened the first phase of the hospital in 2006. | Zeta Jones and her husband, actor Michael Douglas, officially opened the first phase of the hospital in 2006. |