The figure is contained in a damning report from cost consultant EC Harris which claims health chiefs could raise another £1bn by selling-off unused buildings.

EC Harris unearthed a worrying gap between the best and worst performing NHS Trusts with some areas spending 54% more on facilities management than fellow organisations.

The report recommends “rationalising the supply chain in order to achieve a 15% reduction in service costs, which would lead to a potential ‘hard’ facilities management saving of £572million per annum.”

Selling just half of the empty and underused space across the NHS estate would also raise more than £1bn while simply knocking 50% of them down would save £250m in maintenance costs.