Leeds General Infirmary: Plans to build new children’s hospital and maternity centre under review
A government review of NHS building projects could decide the future of a delayed plan for new hospital facilities in the city.
A new children’s hospital, an adults’ hospital and maternity centre are planned for Leeds General Infirmary (LGI).
Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust has already warned that delays to the scheme, original planned to be ready by 2030, have hit it with up to £300m in added costs.
Now the scheme will be looked at as part of a review of the government’s New Hospital Programme (NHP).
The NHP was launched by the previous Conservative government, which said it would deliver 40 hospitals by 2030.
The review was announced by Chancellor Rachel Reeves, Labour MP for Leeds West and Pudsey, as part of measures to tackle a £22bn national budget gap.
The Leeds trust said it was ready to press ahead with the new LGI facilities.
Chief executive Professor Phil Wood said: “We recognise the scale of the challenges facing the NHS and the need for the new government to undertake a review of the national New Hospital Programme.
“Leeds Teaching Hospitals has one of the oldest estates in the NHS, which is not reflective of the world-class healthcare we provide for our patients and much of which at the LGI site is in need of urgent replacement.”
In April, the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) said the Leeds project would receive full funding.
At the time the department had already provided £27m in development costs.
Leeds Teaching Hospitals has also warned that further delays would mean extra investment would be needed to keep existing buildings operational.
Prof Wood said: “For some time now, the trust has had well-developed plans to build a new hospital to create a new home for Leeds Children’s Hospital, a new adults’ hospital and one of the largest single-site maternity centres in the country.
“We have one of the most advanced and ready to go schemes within the NHP, with outline planning consent, considerable progress with our enabling and preparatory works and a cleared construction site.”
Wide-ranging budget measures including the NHP review were set out by Ms Reeves in the House of Commons on Monday.