In an update on the New Hospitals Programme review, the Health Secretary today announced that construction on new QEH would be delayed with work not starting until 2027-2028.
Only last week QEH said it expected work to start in mid-2025 on the new multi-storey car park with completion expected in mid-2026. This would have allowed work to begin on the main hospital building in mid-2026 and to open by 2030.
Now that timetable has been delayed and in the House of Commons the Health Secretary said a new hospital would not open until 2032-33 under the government plans, rather than 2030 as committed to under the last Conservative Government.
James Wild MP speaking in the House of Commons in response to a statement by the Health Secretary said:
“The Health Secretary has recognised the urgency of a new Queen Elizabeth hospital in King’s Lynn due to RAAC safety issues which I and my constituents welcome and reflects the position of the last Conservative government.
“The Health Secretary said he was working at pace to rebuild QEH so will he instruct the NHS to expedite the business case approvals for the new multi-storey car park which is the key enabling project to get going and will he commit to meet the 2030 deadline which is the end of life of the hospital?”
In response to James’ questions the Health Secretary refused to commit to 2030 and said:
“In terms of QEH in King’s Lynn we do recognise the challenge because of RAAC and that’s the approach we took from the outset. I can confirm that the programme will be starting construction in 2027-28. It is due to complete in 2032-3 but it will be prioritised for expedition as a RAAC scheme. If we can go faster we will go faster.”
In parallel to this new hospital programme review, the Health Secretary has commissioned an updated site-by-site report of the RAAC hospitals to better understand the impact of the substantial mitigation work that has taken place since May 2023 and to inform decisions in the delivery of the replacement hospitals. The report and findings are due in summer 2025.
Speaking after the exchange, James said:
“Given an independent review found the end of life of QEH was 2030 on safety grounds, this decision by Labour’s Health Secretary will be very worrying for patients, staff, and our community. Despite claiming to see the need to act with urgency to replace QEH, today Labour has delayed the scheme. The only saving grace is there is the opportunity through the site-specific report on QEH to demonstrate the need to build the new hospital by 2030 and a plan to do so - I’ll work with the Trust to make that case.”
