A planning application for the new Leighton Hospital will be submitted by the end of this year with construction expected to start in the spring of 2028, writes Belinda Ryan.
Russ Favager, senior responsible officer, told a meeting of the Cheshire East health and wellbeing board the proposal is for a six-storey build, with space allocated for a multi-storey car park.
He said health bosses were also in talks with a provider about having a cancer centre on site and a new energy centre.
The new hospital will be built on land purchased next to the current hospital which will continue to operate while the new one is being constructed.
Mr Favager stressed the new hospital was far more than a new build, it was about also about transformational change and digital technology.
“We’ve talked a lot about this being a really digital enabled new hospital, and originally we expected to be an early adopter of the national agenda,” he told the meeting.
“And I think it’s fair to say that we’ve progressed with our design around digital probably a lot quicker than the national strategy, so, actually, we’ve moved from an early adopter to what’s known as a pathfinder now.
“So we’re helping shaping the national agenda and we’ve been to places such as Norway, Canada looking at digitally advanced hospitals helping to show best practice.
“So we’re now working with industry around that.”
He said some of the new digital technology was being trialled on a ward in Leighton at the moment.
Cheshire East councillors were told the new hospital would have the same number of beds as the existing one.
Each patient will have their own single room.
With regard to the construction process, Mr Favager said one of the priorities was to try and ensure local businesses around Crewe and Nantwich area benefited and were part of the supply chain.
Chris Knights, the programme director, said experts were also now looking at what the rest of the site would be used for when the existing hospital is demolished.
“The agenda there is really to try and create an enhanced health and wellbeing offer for our local population,” he said.
Clearly all of those with negative comments are misinformed. Leighton hospital is a RAAC building that was designated to be replaced in the governments 2.0 new hospital program along others in the country. It has nothing to do with Cheshire East other than planning. It is the blueprint for many other hospitals to follow and as such the best health care practices are being looked at wherever in the world, pioneers do not always exist in the UK. So let’s embrace a new health care facility on our doorstep unless the negative preachers want to toddle off to Chester, North Staffs or Macclesfield.
“… we’ve been to places such as Norway, Canada…”
Hmm. A bit difficult when Cheshire East hasn’t got enough money to undertake even basic tasks such as fixing potholes, paying SEND charges, etc.
Oh wait… cause… effect… jolly…
Having worked at Leighton all my working life, they’ve been struggling for beds since early 2000’s. Agree with previous comments, with huge increase in homes planned it is utter lunacy not to increase number of beds, it should be at least 800.
So it is to be 5 years in the planning, before a sod is lifted, by whch time technology, medicine, and costs will have changed beyond recognition. We ar going to end up with another white elephant, totally unfit for the communities it is supposed to support.
I suggest Mr Favager takes a look at the real world, and takes his head out of the sand!
Completely agree David, if the planning and construction is anything like the ” road to nowhere ” in Nantwich, we will lucky if it is completed by mid 2030,s.
New hospital.
Same number of beds.
Leighton is full to capacity now.
By the time it’s finished the population of it’s catchment area will be enormous with all the new builds in the district.
What’s the point?
Why oh why wouldn’t it be designed for the expansion of the local area.
Will this be another “White Elephant” agreed by this incompetent Council?
I fear the number of new beds will be outdated before the foundations are even laid.