King's Lynn's crumbling hospital WILL be replaced, it was announced today.
Health secretary Steve Barclay confirmed the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, which needs thousands of props and girders to prevent its roof from collapsing, has been added to the government's new hospitals programme.
In a statement in Parliament, he said the government remained committed to the 40 new hospitals pledged by Boris Johnson in 2019.
He added that five hospitals made from so-called RAAC reinforced concrete planks would be included in the programme and rebuilt by 2030.
Alice Webster, chief executive of the hospital, said: "We are absolutely delighted to have been added to the new hospitals' programme.
"This crucial announcement means we can move at a pace to bring a much-needed new hospital to King's Lynn and West Norfolk.
"It's excellent news for our patients, the communities we serve and every person in Team QEH and I want to express our immense gratitude to all who have supported us in getting to this crucial stage.
"Our campaign for a new hospital united us all and I am delighted that we have achieved this result together."
North West Norfolk MP James Wild, who has been pressing the case for the new hospital in Parliament, said the announcement was "fantastic news".
"I'm delighted the compelling case I've been putting forward for a new hospital has been accepted," he said.
"This means a hospital fit for the future will be built and it is a momentous day for West Norfolk."
Terry Parish, leader of West Norfolk council, said: "This is a much-awaited and welcome announcement.
"We value the work that the executive team, previous leader, councillor Rust and all the residents of West Norfolk have put in to ensure our case was strong and compelling."
Plans for an £862m replacement hospital have been drawn up. It will be built on what is currently the QEH's main car park.
Work is set to begin this summer on a new multi-storey car park near the hospital's main Gayton Road entrance, to make way for the new build.
It will be 30pc larger than the current 500-bed QEH, to cope with growing demand as the population it serves expands.
Today senior managers said the new hospital would take a number of years to go through the planning process and the earliest they expected it to be open was 2029.
The current hospital was built during the late 1970s, with an expected working life of 30 years.
But it is still in use more than a decade later and the RAAC - reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete - planks which were used in its roof are failing.
More than 4,300 props are needed to prevent it from collapsing.
Campaigners from King's Lynn Trades Council have held weekly protests outside the hospital and lobbied successive ministers.
Its secretary Jo Rust said: "I’m incredibly relieved that we’ve finally found out that our hospital is on the list of 40 new builds.
"It’s been a long time coming and the frustration we’ve all felt, campaigners, politicians, staff and patients, has just been growing all the time.
"It will have impacted staff recruitment at the trust, which then has a knock-on effect on the patients."
Campaigner Rob Colwell, borough councillor for Gaywood, said: "What a fantastic day for West Norfolk and the entire region.
"The power of community action is truly remarkable. Countless people in West Norfolk have signed petitions, postcards, and giant scrolls. We gathered in the park, marched through King's Lynn, and protested outside the hospital."
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