Timetable confirmed for new county hospitals

The Queen Elizabeth Hospital has seen part of its roof supported by props while it waits to be rebuilt

The rebuild of two hospitals serving Norfolk has been confirmed by the health secretary, as he set out a new timetable for hospital building across the country.

Replacement work for the Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH) in King's Lynn and the James Paget in Gorleston would begin between 2027 and 2028.

Wes Streeting said the cost of each new hospital would be between £1bn and £1.5bn.

Both units had been affected by reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (Raac) which was why they were being funded in the first phase, the government said.

Streeting said the 40 new hospitals for the country proposed in 2019 by the Conservatives would go ahead, but they would take a decade longer to complete as the schemes had not been funded by the Tories.

It would mean some of the new builds not getting construction under way until 2039.

On social media, James Wild, Conservative MP for North West Norfolk said: "Labour has broken their promise and delayed construction start for new @TeamQEH and the opening date from 2030 to 2032/3.

"Given an independent review put end of life for QEH of 2030, staff and patients will be concerned.

"I'll work with Trust to show need and plan to do it by 2030."

Meanwhile, the Liberal Democrats accused the government of trying to "bury bad news" on the day of Donald Trump's inauguration as US president.