HEALTH bosses are expected to back revised plans to build a hospital in the region today.

Despite last year’s disappointment when the coalition Government refused to pay for the project out of public funds, trust officials are said to be confident that they will be able to win private financial backing for the plans in Wynyward, near Stockton.

If all goes according to plan, the hospital would be ready for use in 2016 – a year later than originally planned.

The scaled-down plans for the hospital are due to go before the board of North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust for their approval.

The original hospital was to occupy five floors, have 634 beds and cost £458m, with more than 90 per cent of funding from the Treasury.

The new, smaller version will occupy four floors, have 626 beds and cost £299m, with 100 per cent funding from private investors.

If the trust board backs the outline business case, the plans will go before the boards of NHS Tees Primary Care Trust and the North-East Strategic Health Authority.

If those organisations give the go-ahead, the next step will be for the hospital trust to invite construction firms to tender for the contract.

Trust officials are hoping that by May 2013, they will be able to confirm the final business case and invite investors to back a private finance initiative to fund the construction and maintenance of the new hospital.

The original plans for a new hospital at Wynyard – to replace outdated hospitals in Hartlepool and Stockton – were given the go-ahead in 2009 by the last Labour government.

However, the project was cancelled last year by the coalition Government, which refused to provide public funding for the £458m plan.

The new plans involve taking out the fifth floor and changing bedroom layouts so that more single rooms can be incorporated in a smaller space.

The new hospital will still be one of the first NHS hospitals to consist entirely of single rooms.