Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what plans he has for a complete rebuild of West Suffolk hospital; and if he will make a statement.

On 29 September 2019 the Government announced a new Health Infrastructure Plan, to ensure that our health infrastructure is fit-for-purpose for decades to come.

At the centre of this Plan is a new hospital building programme. To launch this programme, in September, the Government announced six new hospital schemes that are receiving funding to ‘go ahead’ now (aiming to deliver by 2025), and a further twenty-one schemes, across 34 hospitals, that have the green light to go to the next stage of developing their plans (aiming to deliver between 2025 and 2030).

West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust’s scheme at West Suffolk Hospital is part of the second phase and will receive a share of £100 million seed funding, as well as guidance and support from central government, to help progress its plans to the next stage.

Further detail on specific plans and funding will be made available in due course, as part of delivering the Government’s wider commitment to build 40 new hospitals.