New Shotley Bridge Hospital in doubt despite Labour pledge

Planning permission was granted for the new Shotley Bridge Hospital in March 2023 after being included as part of the New Hospital Programme announced by the previous Conservative government.

However, construction work is yet to start on the new facility in Consett. Estimated costs for the development have risen to between £50-60 million. 

A 16-bed in-patient rehabilitation ward and urgent treatment centre were proposed for the site, which was scheduled to replace the current facility in Shotley Bridge.

Construction work is yet to start on the new facility in Consett.

The Government added the project to the New Hospital Programme in 2020 despite plans being drawn up long before the scheme was launched. 

Labour pledged to build the hospital in June but that promise was soon cast in doubt when the Chancellor announced in July that all projects would be placed under a spending review.

Now, Shotley Bridge Hospital has been included in a list of the projects to be reviewed by Health Secretary Wes Streeting. 

Mr Streeting said the Government wanted to see the New Hospitals Programme completed but it is “undeliverable, unaffordable, and estimated costs had risen by billions”. 

He said Labour is “not prepared to offer people false hope about how soon they will benefit from the facilities they deserve”.

Mr Streeting added: "We must reset the New Hospitals Programme to put it on a sustainable footing. For this reason, I requested an urgent internal review of all hospitals in the New Hospitals Programme."

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: “We inherited a New Hospitals Programme that is undeliverable and unfunded.

“We will be honest with patients and will put the programme on a sustainable footing.

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“Our review will provide a thorough, costed, and realistic timeline for delivery of the rest of the programme to ensure we can replace the crumbling hospital estate in England.

“This, alongside the fundamental reforms that will be introduced in our 10-year plan, will ensure we build an NHS that is fit for the future.”

The County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust was contacted for comment.