The James Paget University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has received conditional approval of its Strategic Outline Case from the Department of Health and Social Care’s Joint Investment Committee, enabling the project to move into the next stage of development.
This milestone allows work to begin on the next phase, the Outline Business Case, where plans for the new hospital will be developed in greater detail, including design, costings and delivery strategy.
“Our new [hospital] will be among the most modern and digitally advanced hospitals in Europe and will help us deliver the best care for our patients and communities in the future,” said Jo Segasby, Group Chief Delivery Officer and Senior Responsible Owner for the Norfolk and Waveney University Hospitals Group.
The scheme is being progressed as part of the Government’s New Hospital Programme and is aligned with proposals from The Queen Elizabeth Hospital King’s Lynn NHS Foundation Trust, with both projects moving forward under a shared programme across Norfolk and Waveney.
The current James Paget hospital is one of several NHS sites built using reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC), which has driven the need for a replacement facility.
The site is one of the seven RAAC hospitals, including West Suffolk, Hinchingbrooke, Queen Elizabeth (King’s Lynn), Leighton, Airedale, and Frimley Park, which are now scheduled to begin main works between 2025 and 2030, with openings expected in 2032–33.
The proposed new hospital will be designed to support future models of care, with a focus on modern clinical environments and digital-enabled infrastructure.
Both the James Paget and King’s Lynn schemes are targeting completion in 2032-33, as work continues to develop the next phase of plans.