New Leighton Hospital boosted by approval of business case

Mid Cheshire NHS Trust's Strategic Outline Case was approved by a committee on Wednesday, September 10.

The Strategic Outline Case is the first of three business cases ahead of an Outline Business Case and a Full Business Case.

The Outline Business Case is to be completed in late 2026 while the Full Business Case is to be completed in early 2028.

The increasingly in-depth documents have to be approved before the construction work, as does an application for planning permission which is in the works for this year.

Mid Cheshire NHS Trust said there will be a consultation before the construction work, which will be over a period of approximately four years between 2028 and 2032.

Russ Favager, the trust's responsible officer for the rebuild, said: "This is a milestone for Mid Cheshire and a vote of confidence in our vision for a new Leighton Hospital."

Mr Favager added: "The Healthier Futures team has worked tirelessly to get us to this point and we are thrilled that the Joint Investment Committee has given its approval."

The new Leighton Hospital could cost up to one and a half billion pounds according to an announcement by the Department of Health and Social Care.

Wes Streeting, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, confirmed a timetable for the hospital and other hospitals towards the start of the year.

Some projects were delayed more than a decade beyond the 10-year timetable of the previous programme but the one on Middlewich Road and a number of other projects were not delayed as much as this due to their problems with Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC).

Mr Streeting said the previous programme was 'unfunded' and 'undeliverable'.

He said: "Not a single new hospital was built in the past five years and there was no plan to build 40 in the next five years."

He added: "We were determined to put the programme on a firm footing."

For information on Healthier Futures go to www.healthierfutures.mcht.nhs.uk.