Today 25th May the Secretary of State for Health announced that the new hospitals programme will be going ahead, and that Lancaster will be getting a new hospital in Cohort 4 of the programme.
Today’s announcement confirms that the rebuild of Royal Lancaster Infirmary and Royal Preston Hospital will continue and can today announces that over £20 billion funding is expected for the progression of the New Hospital Programme.
Since the scheme was first announced, these have moved from a longlist of potential options to a shortlist of four options to be taken forward. The Department have been closely supporting the development of a range of options for the new hospitals and the clinical services that will be provided in line with the community’s future needs. These will be aligned to the national programme approach to ensure they benefit from the efficiencies it brings – including value for money.
The New Hospital Programme is providing support on identifying suitable new sites, and local NHS leaders are due to begin discussions with the housing associations local to both sites about potential keyworker housing opportunities. Once these have been selected, we will provide funding for surveys that will be vital in the next steps for the scheme.
As a scheme in Cohort 4 the new hospital will fully benefit from our national approach to standardisation, Hospital 2.0, as well as learning from previous schemes delivered as part of the programme.
Speaking in the chamber following the statement by the Secretary of State for Health David Morris MP said:
Madam Deputy Speaker this is marvellous news across the Country, but I would like to ask the Secretary of State the decision on Lancaster. I have heard that we may be getting a new hospital, it may be further down the line, however we are in need of one and I know that any news he can give us would be fantastic news not only to myself after all of the lobbying I have done, to my hon friend and his predecessors much like my Rt Hon Friend from Chingford, but it will be also welcome news by my hon friend in this context the Hon lady from Lancaster (Cat Smith MP)
Steve Barclay MP:
He is right its not just the Eden Project on which my Hon friend has been a vigorous campaigner and he has acidulously raised this aswell. As he knows the Trust is at a very early stage in terms of considering for example what public consultation will be needed around the reconfiguration of services across Lancaster. We are not letting that stop us in terms of work for example opening a new surgical hub at the Royal Preston as he knows I know the geography very well in terms of interaction with Lancaster. There’s a number of options around consolidation and expanding services onto two sites and I look forward to having discussions with him as we take that forward.
