New hospital to be built in Cambridge
2 May 2014 11:34 AM
Papworth hospital, a
leading specialist heart and lung hospital, will move from its current location
outside Cambridge onto the Addenbrooke’s hospital site in the
city.
A £165 million deal for a
new hospital has been approved by the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Danny
Alexander, and the Chancellor of the Exchequer, George
Osborne.
Papworth hospital, a leading
specialist heart and lung hospital, will move from its current location outside
Cambridge onto the Addenbrooke’s hospital site in the
city.
New buildings and facilities
will be constructed on the site of the Cambridge Bio-medical Campus to
accommodate the relocated Papworth hospital. Papworth hospital’s future
location is now secure following years of uncertainty.
The existing buildings at
Papworth are over 75 years old, with some older than 150 years. Moving to brand
new purpose built facilities will ensure the hospital continues to provide
world class medical care and treatment.
The proposed new 310-bed
Papworth hospital could boast the latest medical facilities and
technologies.
Bringing together two great NHS
institutions, on the site of the Cambridge Bio-medical Campus, will also create
a hub of world leading medicine, research and pharmaceutical development.
Backing successful research clusters such as this are a key component of the
long term plan for science.
The Chief Secretary to the
Treasury, Danny Alexander, said:
This ambitious package will
ensure that patients across the East of England continue to benefit from access
to world-class specialist treatment, will secure Papworth hospital’s
future location, and help further develop its world leading
capabilities.
Bringing Papworth and
Addenbrookes more closely together will also create a hub of leading-edge
research and pharmaceutical development and also firmly underlines our
commitment to the long term plan for science.
The Chancellor of the Exchequer,
George Osborne, said:
I’ve been a strong
supporter of this move. As I said on a visit to Cambridge last week, there is
great value in these two leading hospitals working more closely together and
continuing to provide first class medical care.
By backing Papworth’s
relocation to a medical research cluster we’re supporting the world
leading science which is vitally important to Britain’s economic
future.
It is only because we have been
working through our long term economic plan and got a grip on day to day
spending that we can protect our NHS and make great investments like
this.
The new Papworth hospital is to
be delivered through a 30-year PFI deal, with confirmation of the service
provider to be announced shortly.
Construction of the new
facilities is projected to begin in 2015 and complete by 2017 to 2018. The
plans for this project will be finalised over the coming months, with all
funding subject to final approvals as usual.