Plans to rebuild two of Norfolk's hospitals have reached a major milestone with the announcement of a single construction partner to deliver both schemes, marking a significant step towards the delivery of both new hospitals.
Skanska UK has been announced by the national New Hospital Programme (NHP) as the appointed construction partner for both the new James Paget University Hospitals (JPUH) in Gorleston and The Queen Elizabeth Hospital in King’s Lynn (QEH).
As Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC) hospitals, they have both been prioritised by the government to be rebuilt as part of this national programme.
The new hospitals will be among the most modern and digitally advanced hospitals in Europe, supporting new ways of delivering care, improving outcomes for patients and helping transform how healthcare is delivered across Norfolk and Waveney for decades to come.
The NHP appointed 10 construction partners to the Hospital 2.0 Alliance earlier this year, providing the capability to support delivery of the biggest health infrastructure programme in a generation. This latest announcement enables detailed planning and design work to progress alongside Skanska and its design teams as both hospital schemes move towards delivery.
Jo Segasby, Deputy Group Chief Executive and Chief Delivery Officer of the Norfolk and Waveney University Hospitals Group, said: “This is a major milestone for our programme. The appointment of a contractor moves the programme forward significantly and the fact that our two hospitals will be built by one contractor, Skanska UK, provides us with some real opportunities.
“One contractor for both schemes will strengthen oversight, ensure consistency in clinical design and service planning across the Norfolk and Waveney University Hospitals Group, and will help deliver two state-of-the-art hospitals more efficiently - ultimately delivering the highest standards of patient care and experience to meet the needs of our population.”
Lee Marks, Executive Vice President, Skanska UK, said: "This is a tremendous opportunity to help transform healthcare provision across Norfolk. We are proud to be partnering with James Paget University Hospital and The Queen Elizabeth Hospital to help deliver their long-term vision. Delivering both hospitals through a single programme allows us to drive efficiency, and build supply chains more confidently, while maintaining a relentless focus on quality, safety and patient outcomes.
"Hospitals are at the heart of the communities they serve, providing essential care every day. Skanska has a strong track record of delivering complex healthcare projects that create lasting value for patients, staff and local communities. We look forward to bringing that experience to Norfolk and helping deliver modern, sustainable, digitally enabled healthcare facilities that will support patients and healthcare professionals for decades to come."
Progress on enabling works continues at both sites to prepare for construction of the new hospitals. Last week (Tuesday 21 July) The QEH hosted a ground-breaking event to mark the start of their new multi-storey car park. This key enabling for the QEH scheme, which will allow for the new hospital to be built on the current main car park, is expected to be operational by December 2027.
James Paget Hospital has begun its key project to relocate solar panels to prepare land that its new hospital will be built on. The solar panels will be moved to existing buildings on the hospital’s estate that will be retained as part of its new hospital masterplan, with work scheduled for completion this year.
The Norfolk and Waveney University Hospitals Group continues to work with staff, patients and partners to shape how care will be delivered in the future. The new hospitals represent a once-in-a-generation investment in healthcare, but the programme is about more than new buildings. Alongside developing modern facilities, work is underway to transform services, strengthen collaboration across hospitals and ensure patients can benefit from the best expertise available across our region, wherever they receive treatment.
Click here for updates on progress of the New QEH.
Photo: Representatives from Norfolk and Waveney University Hospitals Group attended a Hospital 2.0 Alliance event in London in June 2026; pictured (L-R) David Roberts – Chair, NWUHG; Karin Smyth MP; and Jo Segasby – Deputy Group Chief Executive and Chief Delivery Officer, NWUHG.