A lot of media coverage has focused on the Government’s New Hospital Programme and what impact it could have on Norfolk’s two projects within it.
There is particular concern around the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in King’s Lynn, with an announcement that construction on a new building could start in 2027-28 meaning it may not be finished until 2032, two years later than hoped.
The hospital trust released a statement following the news.
In it, the hospital said: “Our absolute priority remains delivering a modern, innovative, and future-ready hospital that provides the highest quality care for our patients throughout West Norfolk, North Cambridgeshire, and South Lincolnshire, alongside providing the best possible working environment for our staff.
“The revised plan and implementation schedule announced by the Secretary of State for Health, the Rt Hon Wes Streeting allows us to move forward with confidence and focus, ensuring we continue to progress at pace.
“The timescales in this plan indicate our new hospital will not meet the previous deadline of 2030. We have been assured by the national NHP team that work is under way to prioritise bringing these timescales forward where possible.
“As a Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC) hospital, the safety of our current building remains our priority, and our fail-safing programme is progressing well.
“The announcement outlines the need for site-by-site survey report commissioned by the Government on each RAAC hospital – we await more information on this work.”
