New hospital will attract 'high quality' staff

Michael Meredith is the director of strategy at Princess Alexandra Hospital in Harlow

A hospital director said rebuilding the facility would help attract "high quality" staff.

Work would begin on the Princess Alexandra Hospital in Harlow, Essex, between 2032 and 2034, the government announced on Monday.

Director of strategy, Michael Meredith, said construction would take up to five years once started.

Speaking to the BBC, he added: "It is a really exciting opportunity."

The need for improvements at the hospital intensified in 2024, when its ceiling caved in above a patient in an intensive care unit.

Under the Conservative government, it was hoped a new facility would be built by 2024 - but this slipped to 2030.

The plans then stalled when Labour entered office, but Health Secretary Wes Streeting pledged between £1.5bn and £2bn to the project this week.

It is not yet known where the new hospital will be built

Mr Meredith said: "The fact we've had an announcement that we will be getting a new hospital means we're still in the game, so that's fantastic."

He said there was "disappointment" among staff at having the rebuild project pushed back by at least another two years.

However, the strategy director added: "The fact we will be getting a new hospital for our patients and staff is a real positive."

'Tough conditions'

The location of the new site has yet to be revealed, although Mr Meredith said the preferred site was on land near junction 7A of the M11.

He explained alternative sites were being explored, including building on the existing site.

Mr Meredith said in the meantime, investment needed to be made to the hospital's heating, ventilation and water systems.

"The conditions in the hospital are tough at the moment," he continued.

"We've seen one of the busiest winters we've ever seen and we continue to see a real pressure on our services.

"It is a real challenge for us as an organisation, but we're used to challenges in the NHS and we're used to meeting those challenges."