The Health Minister responsible for the New Hospitals Programme has confirmed the government’s backing for a new QEH on the existing site by 2030 as part of a £20 billion investment in hospital infrastructure.
In a move welcomed by local MPs, Lord Markham, Health Minister, set out the government’s support for developing the new hospital onsite and its commitment to beginning construction on a multi-storey car park to create space on site for the new hospital in a “matter of months” to meet the 2030 deadline.
This is the key enabling project and follows the ongoing move of the helipad which will create space for the new car park and developing other enabling works including utilities.
In a letter to James Wild MP and Rt Hon Liz Truss MP following their recent meeting to review progress on the scheme, which included the Trust and NHS England, Lord Markham said:
“I know there have been concerns regarding the site location of this new hospital. The Trust’s preferred way forward for the site location is to remain on the existing hospital site. We support this approach, which is why we are working closely with the Trust to build a multi-storey car park to create sufficient space on the site for the new hospital.
Clearly, we would not be spending tens of millions of pounds on such a car park unless we were committed to the current site and we are starting construction in a matter of months to ensure we meet the 2030 deadline.”
The New Hospital Programme are working with QEH Trust on its refreshed Strategic Outline Case and QEH will be part of the new Hospital 2.0 approach which Lord Markham said:
“will ensure that onsite construction is quicker than traditional methods of construction and give patients and staff in King’s Lynn access to world class health facilities”
Hospitals have been provided with updated indicative allocations from the £20 billion programme and the Strategic Outline Case is expected to be submitted to the Department in June 2024.
Commenting, James Wild MP said:
“Having campaigned successfully in Parliament to secure the commitment to a new QEH my priority is delivering a new hospital by 2030. It is very welcome the government has given staff, patients, and our community certainty plans to meet the 2030 deadline on the existing site are on track with work on the new car park set to start later this year.”
Rt Hon Liz Truss MP said:
“It's great news that the Queen Elizabeth new hospital build is on track to be open in 2030 - on the basis of the current site. I'm delighted our campaign was successful. It's now important that everyone gets behind this plan at the current location as this is crucial to securing the funding and delivery".
