We are excited to let you know about an important milestone in the work towards new hospital facilities in our region: the announcement of the shortlist of proposals.
This is a significant development in our aim to develop new, cutting-edge facilities, offering the absolute best in modern healthcare and addressing significant problems with the ageing Royal Preston Hospital and Royal Lancaster Infirmary buildings.
A media release announcing the shortlist is being issued today, which you can view on the New Hospitals Programme website here: https://newhospitals.info/shortlist.
What’s on the shortlist?
The shortlisted proposals are:
- A new Royal Lancaster Infirmary on a new site, with partial rebuild / refurbishment of Royal Preston Hospital
- A new Royal Preston Hospital on a new site, with partial rebuild / refurbishment of Royal Lancaster Infirmary
- Investment at both Royal Lancaster Infirmary and Royal Preston Hospital, allowing partial rebuilding work on both existing sites
- Two new hospitals to replace Royal Lancaster Infirmary and Royal Preston Hospital (new sites).
These proposals also include investment in Furness General Hospital, required due to its geographically remote location, its proximity to some of the UK’s major strategic national assets, and its need to meet NHS environmental goals.
In line with NHS guidelines, the shortlisted proposals will be benchmarked against options for no change to, and / or limited investment in Royal Lancaster Infirmary and Royal Preston Hospital to address the list of tasks that need to be performed to repair or maintain the buildings and keep them in a suitable working condition.
The shortlist of proposals for new hospital facilities was endorsed by the Lancashire and South Cumbria Strategic Commissioning Committee today (10 March 2022). The list reflects extensive feedback gathered from more than 12,000 local people, patients, NHS staff, community representatives and stakeholders over the last year, using online workshops and surveys, public opinion research, focus groups, and in-person events and meetings. Thank you to everyone who has shared their feedback so far – please do continue to get involved and have your say.
What options have not made it onto the shortlist?
Options that have been discounted from the shortlist after detailed consideration are as follows: a single new hospital on a new central site to replace both Royal Preston Hospital and Royal Lancaster Infirmary (with some local services to be retained in a new integrated community centres in Preston and Lancaster); a new Royal Lancaster Infirmary on the existing site, with partial rebuild / refurbishment of Royal Preston Hospital; and a new Royal Preston Hospital on the existing site, with partial rebuild / refurbishment of Royal Lancaster Infirmary; a new Royal Preston Hospital built on a new site, with the existing Royal Preston Hospital site retained for some services and partial rebuild of Royal Lancaster Infirmary.
What’s next?
We will now commence detailed analysis of the feasibility of each shortlisted option. We will follow a clear process over the coming months, with scrutiny and approvals needed from decision makers within the NHS, the government and local authorities, and ongoing patient and public involvement, before the preferred option is agreed. We aim to complete the building of new hospital facilities by 2030.
How can you get involved?
We are keen to hear your views on the shortlisted proposals. You can tell us what you think about this and other aspects of new hospital facilities by filling out this online survey on the shortlist of proposals.
