£70,000 bill for new Royal Free Hospital desks

FOUR secretarial desks have been installed in the Royal Free Hospital’s reception – at a cost of £70,000.
They are part of a £5million overhaul of the Hampstead hospital’s front entrance that has run £560,000 over budget. The cost is being met by the Royal Free Charity, which oversees the spending of cash donations to the hospital. The charity, which normally uses donations to buy new medical equipment, agreed to pay for the new entrance last year.
A hospital spokeswoman said the desks were of “significant size”, adding: “They have solid laminate surfaces for reasons of hygiene and durability.”