The government has confirmed funding and a realistic timetable to put the New Hospital Programme on track to deliver all of its hospital projects.
This timeline for delivery will ensure that staff and patients have access to the facilities they desperately need around the country as soon as possible.
It follows a review of the scheme which found that the previous government’s commitment to deliver ‘40 new hospitals’ by 2030 was behind schedule, unfunded and therefore undeliverable.
In its annual report, the Infrastructure Projects Authority (IPA) also deemed the previous scheme ‘unachievable’, rating the programme as red and highlighting major issues including with the schedule and budget. An independent IPA review upgraded the New Hospitals Programme from a red to an amber rating last week, thanks to action taken to improve deliverability.
The new plan will be backed with £15 billion of new investment over consecutive five-year waves, averaging £3 billion a year.
Building an NHS estate that is fit for the future is key to the government’s Plan for Change which will get the health service back on its feet and see waiting times slashed. At the Budget, the Chancellor announced that health capital spending in the NHS is set to increase to record levels of £13.6 billion in 2025-26.
For schemes that were out of scope of the review, those already with approved Full Business Cases will continue as planned and are already in construction (Wave 0).
The remaining schemes will be allocated to one of three wave groups:
- Schemes in Wave 1 are expected to begin construction between 2025 and 2030. These schemes include hospitals constructed primarily using RAAC, and have been prioritised as patient and staff safety is paramount.
- Schemes in Waves 2 are expected to begin construction between 2030 and 2035.
- Schemes in Wave 3 are expected to begin construction between 2035 and 2039.
Revised hospital programme timeline | ||
Wave 0: schemes already under construction | ||
Scheme | Started construction | Cost estimate |
Alumhurst Road Children’s Mental Health Unit, Dorset | £500m or less | |
Royal Bournemouth Hospital, Dorset | £500m or less | |
St Ann’s Hospital, Dorset | £500m or less | |
Dorset County Hospital, Dorchester | £500m or less | |
CEDAR Programme, North East | tbc | |
Oriel Eye Hospital, London | tbc | |
National Rehabilitation Centre | tbc | |
Wave 1: schemes to start construction between 2025 and 2030 | ||
Scheme | Expected start date | Cost estimate |
Poole Hospital, Dorset | 2025 to 2026 | £500m or less |
Derriford Emergency Care Hospital, Plymouth | 2025 to 2026 | £500m or less |
Cambridge Cancer Research Hospital | 2025 to 2026 | £500m or less |
Shotley Bridge Community Hospital, Durham | 2026 to 2027 | £500m or less |
Milton Keynes Hospital | 2027 to 2028 | £500m or less |
Women and Children’s Hospital, Cornwall | 2027 to 2028 | £500m or less |
Hillingdon Hospital, north-west London | 2027 to 2028 | £1bn to £1.5bn |
North Manchester General Hospital | 2027 to 2028 | £1bn to £1.5bn |
West Suffolk Hospital, Bury St Edmunds (RAAC) | 2027 to 2028 | £1bn to £1.5bn |
Hinchingbrooke Hospital (RAAC) | 2027 to 2028 | £501m to £1bn |
James Paget Hospital, Great Yarmouth (RAAC) | 2027 to 2028 | £1bn to £1.5bn |
Queen Elizabeth Hospital, King’s Lynn (RAAC) | 2027 to 2028 | £1bn to £1.5bn |
Leighton Hospital (RAAC) | 2027 to 2028 | £1bn to £1.5bn |
Airedale General Hospital (RAAC) | 2027 to 2028 | £1bn to £1.5bn |
Frimley Park Hospital (RAAC) | 2028 to 2029 | £1.5bn to £2bn |
Brighton 3Ts Hospital | 2026 to 2027 | tbc |
Wave 2: schemes (to start construction between 2030 and 2035 | ||
Leeds General Infirmary | 2032 to 2034 | £1.5bn to £2bn |
Specialist Emergency Care Hospital, Sutton | 2032 to 2034 | £1.5bn to £2bn |
Whipps Cross University Hospital, north-east London | 2032 to 2034 | £1bn to £1.5bn |
Princess Alexandra Hospital, Harlow | 2032 to 2034 | £1.5bn to £2bn |
Watford General Hospital | 2032 to 2034 | £1.5bn to £2bn |
Leicester General Hospital Royal Infirmary | 2032 to 2034 | £1bn to £1.5bn |
Kettering General Hospital | 2032 to 2034 | £1bn to £1.5bn |
Musgrove Park Hospital, Taunton | 2032 to 2034 | £501m to £1bn |
Torbay Hospital | 2032 to 2034 | £501m to £1bn |
Wave 3: schemes to start construction between 2035 and 2039 | ||
Charing Cross Hospital and Hammersmith Hospital, London | 2035 to 2038 | £1.5bn to £2bn |
North Devon District Hospital, Barnstaple | 2035 to 2038 | £1bn to £1.5bn |
Royal Lancaster Infirmary | 2035 to 2038 | £1bn to £1.5bn |
St Mary’s Hospital, north west London | 2035 to 2038 | £2bn or more |
Royal Preston Hospital | 2037 to 2039 | £2bn or more |
Queen’s Medical Centre and Nottingham City Hospital | 2037 to 2039 | £2bn or more |
Royal Berkshire Hospital, Reading | 2037 to 2039 | £2bn or more |
Hampshire Hospitals | 2037 to 2039 | £2bn or more |
Eastbourne District General, Conquest Hospital and Bexhill Community Hospital | 2037 to 2039 | £1.5bn to £2bn |
Hospitals in later waves will be supported on their development and early construction work before then, to ensure that they are ready for main construction.
The plan for implementation sets out a clear pipeline of schemes to be delivered over the next decade and beyond. The New Hospital Programme will continue to work closely with industry to support construction, develop relationships and secure investment within the supply chain.
Morag Stuart, Chief Programme Officer for the New Hospital Programme, said: “This announcement by the Department of Health and Social Care provides certainty on the next steps for the New Hospital Programme.
“We will continue to work with local NHS organisations to deliver improvements to hospitals across England, including making best use of new technology and improving layouts – and ensuring future hospitals are designed to meet the needs of patients and staff.
“The New Hospital Programme is just one part of the government’s wider commitment to transforming the NHS estate. Over £1 billion has been set aside to make inroads into the existing backlog of critical maintenance, repairs and upgrades, while £102 million has been dedicated for upgrades to GP surgeries across England as a first step towards transforming the primary care estate.
This refreshed and honest direction for the NHP will transform the provision of hospital healthcare, to build an NHS fit for the future.”
The plan for implementation is available here: New Hospital Programme review outcome – GOV.UK
The IPA’s assessment of the previous New Hospital Programme is available here: Infrastructure and Projects Authority Annual Report 2023-24 – GOV.UK