Disappointment as no decision made on replacement of King's Lynn's QEH in budget
Hospital bosses had been hoping for cash to rebuild the crumbling site
Last updated 16th Mar 2023
Campaigners and managers at King's Lynn Queen Elizabeth Hospital have been left disappointed, with no announcement in yesterday's budget on cash for a rebuild.
Bosses at the QEH are desperate for funding to either replace or repair the building, which currently has around 1,500 props holding up the roof.
The facility was opened in 1980 and was only designed to last 30 years. It was built with lightweight concrete which is gradually crumbling.
It's feared the building could soon be too dangerous to use, depriving people in West Norfolk of a local hospital.
Jeremy Hunt unveiled eye catching promises on childcare and efforts to get more people back to work, but little in new funding for the health service.
North West Norfolk MP James Wild is still calling for a decision to be made “as soon after the budget as possible”.
Speaking last year, Acting Director of Estates and Facilities Nichola Hunter said: "By 2025 we need to have put in the first spade into the land, to be able to construct a new building at that time for it to be complete by the latter part of 2029.
"There is a lot of planning work that has to go into building new hospitals, so the longer it takes the less time we are going to have to be able to plan and to make sure we have the right hospital for the future".
"We have been advised that this hospital has a life until 2030 and we have been told that even with the steel and wood props it doesn't pro-long the life of the hospital. All it does is reinforce the structure to keep it safe now, but it doesn't take it beyond the 2030 deadline".