Funding for new hospital team secured – and calls to bring forward completion date

Campaigners have been left feeling “really optimistic” after their latest discussions on Lynn’s hospital – although it remains third in line for a rebuild.Save the QEH member Jo Rust was joined by a fellow campaigner for a meeting with South West Norfolk MP Terry Jermy, where they pressed him on their worries over the scheme’s latest delays.They left feeling more confident than before, and also received confirmation that funding has been received to pay for a fixed period team to run the new hospital programme.

This coincided with Mr Jermy visiting the hospital himself, where he admitted the rebuild “cannot come soon enough”.He has written to Health Secretary Wes Streeting to lobby the Government for “rapid progress”, although work is still not expected to begin until 2027 at the earliest.However, he has asked for all avenues which could bring the completion date forward to be explored.

Ms Rust told the Lynn News: “I’d actually received a reassuring letter from Minister of Health, Karin Smyth, just prior to meeting with Terry, but we were keen to take the opportunity to meet with a local representative and question them directly. “Terry had previously given our campaign group his time when he was first elected so we already knew that he was firmly committed to moving forward with the new build and prepared to use his influence and ear of the minister to try to overcome any delays.“Terry listened carefully to what we had to say and our worries over the historical lack of investment in the hospital estate and the subsequent challenges it might cause. Terry provided reassurance that not only was the Government confident about the new build, but the trust executive team were too. “He explained that they had a healthy risk tolerance, which wouldn’t have been there had not they had sufficient assurances that the funding was coming.”

Ms Rust was told by Mr Jermy that funding for development work has already been received, as well as central funding for a fixed period team to run the new hospital programme.This team, while new, will help deliver the rebuild – and the money to pay them comes straight from central government.“While this isn’t the multi-storey car park we’re waiting to see go up, it is a part of the necessary work to prepare for it,” Ms Rust said. She added: “Terry explained that we were third in the line for RAAC replacements, with West Suffolk being six months ahead of us.“We left feeling really optimistic about the future of our hospital and that of the staff who work so hard to deliver services within it.”During his visit, Mr Jermy met with chief executive officer Alice Webster, QEH programme director Peter Box and chief operating officer Simon Illingworth.He remains hopeful that a completion date can be brought forward from 2033. “Securing a new hospital is of utmost importance to me so I was keen to meet the team to discuss the latest progress,” he wrote in his Lynn News column.“After 14 years of the Conservatives failing to properly fund our NHS, it is clear to see that Labour’s investment of over £1billion for the rebuild of the QEH cannot come soon enough.“Following the meeting on Friday, I have written to Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting to press for the QEH rebuild to happen as soon as possible and ask that all opportunities be taken to bring forward the 2032/33 completion date.”