New Cambridge cancer hospital ‘remains on track’ despite government ‘reset’ announcement
The Cambridge Cancer Research Hospital was one of the 40 hospitals picked to receive funding under the New Hospitals Programme
The project to build a new cancer hospital in Cambridge remains “on track”, the NHS Trust overseeing the plans has reassured, after the government announced a “complete reset” of the New Hospitals Programme.
The Cambridge Cancer Research Hospital was one of the 40 hospitals pickled by the former Conservative government to receive funding under its New Hospitals Programme.
Planning permission for the hospital, which is due to be built at the Cambridge Biomedical Campus, was granted earlier this year.
The new hospital aims to “bring together clinical and research expertise in a new world-class hospital”, in the hope of being able to detect cancer earlier, treat it more precisely, and ultimately save more lives.
Back in 2020 the then Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, said the promised £3.7 billion of investment would enable 40 new hospitals to be built across the country by 2030 in order to “level up” the NHS.
However, this week (July 29) Rachel Reeves, Chancellor of the Exchequer, said the delivery of these hospitals was “wildly off track” and announced a review of the whole programme.
She said: “In October 2020, the government announced that 40 new hospitals would be built by 2030.
“Since then, only six have started their main construction activity and less than half of the 40 hospitals have even started construction.
“The National Audit was clear that delivery was wildly off track.
“But since coming into office, it has become clear that the previous government continued to maintain its commitment to 40 hospitals, without anywhere close to the funding required to deliver them.
“We need to be straight with the British people about what is deliverable and what is affordable.
“So we will conduct a complete reset of the New Hospitals Programme, with a thorough, realistic and costed timetable for delivery.”
Following the announcement the Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, which is leading the project to build the new cancer hospital, sought to reassure people that the work is still on track.
A spokesperson for the Trust said: “We are continuing to make significant progress on the programme for Cambridge Cancer Research Hospital, after our Outline Business Case was approved by NHS England, the Department of Health and Social Care and HM Treasury last summer.
“A programme of pre-constructions works are set to begin this autumn, including the installation of hoardings around the site, ground clearance and archaeological digs.
“We remain on track to start full construction works next year in 2025.
“Our current schedule means the hospital is on track to be built by 2030.”