NHS AND INDUSTRY JOIN FORCES ON NEXT GENERATION OF HOSPITALS

NHS AND INDUSTRY JOIN FORCES ON NEXT GENERATION OF HOSPITALS
NHS trusts and construction partners have signed agreements to deliver next phase of New Hospital Programme
- NHS trusts and construction partners sign agreements to deliver next generation of hospitals
- Long-term partnerships mark a major milestone for New Hospital Programme
- Patients, taxpayers and industry to benefit from collaborative, more efficient approach
Eleven significant long-term partnerships have today been signed to deliver New Hospitals across England from Manchester to Cornwall and the east of England. The confirmed partnerships will transform how NHS hospitals are delivered across England, marking a major milestone for the New Hospital Programme as it moves into its delivery phase.
The agreements bring together NHS trusts and leading construction organisations to deliver 11 hospital schemes through a new collaborative approach designed to build modern hospitals more efficiently while ensuring every scheme continues to meet the needs of its local patients, staff and communities.
The partnerships will support the delivery of Hospital 2.0 – the New Hospital Programme’s modern, standardised approach to designing, building, and operating hospitals. Combining national standards, digital innovation and modern methods of construction, Hospital 2.0 will improve quality and productivity while creating healthcare environments that are safer, more sustainable and fit for the future.
The agreements mark the start of delivery for the first wave of partnerships, enabling NHS trusts and their construction partners to move forward with delivering hospitals that will serve communities for generations to come. The contracts will also deliver a pipeline to support the growth of the construction industry and development of skills.
Karin Smyth, Minister of State for Health, said:
For too long, the construction of new hospitals has been bogged down by bureaucratic procurement processes, even after full approval and funding was in place, and we’re determined to change that.
The changes announced today are a major step forward in streamlining the procurement process. Patients can look forward to new hospitals being delivered quicker, industry can plan with certainty, and taxpayers can be assured that we are getting maximum value for their money.
With stronger collaboration, shared learning and a boost for jobs, this further demonstrates this government’s commitment to the New Hospital Programme, providing world-class facilities for the NHS, and helping the economy in the process.
Natalie Forrest, Chief Programme Officer for the New Hospital Programme, said:
The Hospital 2.0 Alliance marks an important milestone for the New Hospital Programme and a new way of delivering major public infrastructure. By bringing together NHS organisations and industry as genuine partners, we’re creating a model that combines national consistency with local leadership. Together, we’ll deliver hospitals that are safer, more sustainable and designed to meet the needs of patients and staff for generations to come.
Under the new delivery model:
- NHS trusts remain responsible for delivering hospitals that reflect the needs of their local communities.
- National standards will improve quality, consistency, and value for money across the programme.
- Long-term partnerships will encourage collaboration, innovation, and continuous improvement throughout delivery.
The Hospital 2.0 Alliance brings together the New Hospital Programme, NHS trusts and construction partners in long-term partnerships designed to transform how hospitals are delivered. Rather than treating each hospital as a standalone project, the approach enables organisations to share expertise, apply consistent standards and continuously improve delivery across multiple schemes.
Charlotte Taylor and Paul Mustow, Senior Responsible Owners for the New Hospital Programme at the Department of Health and Social Care, said: > The Hospital 2.0 Alliance demonstrates what can be achieved when government, the NHS and industry work together with a shared ambition. By combining national leadership with local expertise, we’re creating a more collaborative approach to delivering the next generation of NHS hospitals - one that supports innovation, delivers better value for taxpayers and leaves a lasting legacy for patients and staff.
The first wave of Hospital 2.0 partnerships includes:
- Airedale NHS Foundation Trust – GRAHAM
- Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust – Willmott Dixon Construction
- Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust – Sacyr UK
- North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust (Hinchingbrooke Hospital) – Kier Construction
- Hillingdon Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust – Laing O’Rourke
- James Paget University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust – Skanska
- Queen Elizabeth Hospital King’s Lynn NHS Foundation Trust – Skanska
- Mid Cheshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (Leighton Hospital) – Integrated Health Projects (VINCI Building and Sir Robert McAlpine Joint Venture)
- Milton Keynes University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust – Morgan Sindall Construction
- Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust – Bovis Construction
- West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust – DRAGADOS Sociedad Anónima
The contract signing marks a significant step in delivering the government’s commitment to modernise NHS infrastructure, helping create hospitals that improve patient experience, support staff wellbeing and provide high-quality healthcare environments for future generations.