Hundreds of thousands of people in England will benefit from new NHS facilities and services as ministers open the selection process for eight new hospitals, as part of the biggest hospital building programme in a generation.
Currently, the national programme comprises eight pre-existing schemes and 40 new hospitals, totalling 48 hospitals. In October 2020, the Government named 32 hospitals which will form part of the 40 new hospitals and is now calling for NHS Trusts to submit their expressions of interest to be one of the final eight hospitals.
A new ‘Our NHS Buildings’ website has also launched. It will be the official home of the Government’s major NHS infrastructure projects across the country, including new hospital builds and upgrades. The website will provide regular updates for patients and staff on the progress of local schemes, showcasing developments and milestones at each hospital build or upgrade location, with an interactive map.
Health and Social Care Secretary Sajid Javid said: "Our plans to deliver 40 new hospitals across the country by 2030 will help us build a better NHS and transform NHS services for local communities.
"The selection process for the further eight new schemes is a huge opportunity for more areas to benefit from the biggest hospital building programme in a generation, and I encourage Trusts to apply. We will take forward the bold and ambitious plans to improve care, level up investment and prioritise sustainable design."
Expressions of interest are invited by September from all mental health, community and acute NHS Trusts who wish their plans to be considered. Later this year, there will be a more detailed second stage process for long-listed schemes, with a final decision expected in spring 2022.
The selection process will prioritise plans for:
- Services which transform joined up care for people and provide an effective working environment for NHS staff, in line with the ambitions of the NHS Long Term Plan
- Fair allocations of investment to level up across regions and provide value for money, with an emphasis on mental health Trusts
- Stronger and greener NHS buildings that make the most of modern methods of construction to support sustainable, greener and efficient design
