From Jo Segasby, Chair of the Group New Hospital Programme Board
“The new hospital builds are not being delayed. The extensive work on the outline business case and all enabling works continue. Some design works at The QEH have been paused while we review latest national guidance and local clinical priorities to ensure these meet the needs of the local population. This is a planned and responsible step and helps us to avoid unnecessary extra cost. It is not a delay, and our objective remains to open as part of Wave 1 of the Government’s New Hospital Programme.
“We are bringing together the New Hospital Programmes at The Queen Elizabeth Hospital King’s Lynn (QEH) and James Paget University Hospital (JPUH) into a single, unified programme that will deliver two state-of-the-art hospitals for Norfolk carefully planned to meet the needs of their populations.
“This strategic alignment strengthens oversight, ensures consistency in clinical design and service planning across the Norfolk and Waveney University Hospitals Group, and will help deliver both hospitals more efficiently that will ultimately deliver the highest standards of patient care and experience.
“Patient and staff safety remains our highest priority. Both hospitals have robust Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC) safety monitoring and mitigation in place, with national engineering support and regular inspections.
“The new QEH and JPUH will be among the most modern and digitally advanced hospitals in Europe, designed to deliver outstanding care for our communities for decades to come.”
Questions and answers
Has the new hospital build been delayed?
No. We are reviewing our designs to ensure they fully reflect national requirements and local clinical priorities, but both hospitals remain part of Wave 1 of the Government’s New Hospital Programme. The temporary pause is a planned alignment exercise and is not expected to materially affect the overall programme timeframe.
Why are the QEH and JPUH programmes being integrated?
Combining the programmes strengthens governance, consistency, and collaboration. It allows us to align design and delivery across both sites, make best use of shared clinical expertise, and ensure both hospitals are built to the highest modern standards.
Are the QEH and JPUH safe given the hospitals RAAC structure?
We have robust RAAC monitoring and mitigation measures in place, overseen by national experts and engineers. We are also awaiting the national Mott MacDonald report, which will inform future planning and reinforce our ongoing safety assurance.
What will be different about the new hospitals?
The new QEH and JPUH will be among the most modern and digitally advanced hospitals in Europe, designed around patients, powered by technology, and shaped by local clinicians to meet the future needs of our communities.
Will enabling projects and work continue as planned on both sites?
Yes. Plans for key enabling projects, such as the multi-storey car park at The QEH will continue. These are essential to ensure we are ready to build our new hospitals when the time comes.
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