FAQs
Why is a new hospital being built?
The current hospital has structural issues due to the type of concrete called reinforced aerated autoclaved concrete (RAAC) that it was built with.
Structural engineers advised that the building needs to be replaced, so in 2021 the Trust bid for Government funding to rebuild the hospital through the New Hospital Programme (NHP).
In May 2023 the Trust received the fantastic news that Airedale General Hospital was accepted on to the NHP.
When will the new hospital be built?
The Government has pledged to rebuild Airedale General Hospital by 2030 as part of the New Hospital Programme, along with Queen Elizabeth King’s Lynn in Norfolk, Hinchingbrooke in Cambridgeshire, Mid Cheshire Leighton in Cheshire and Frimley Park in Surrey.
What will the new hospital look like?
It’s too early to say exactly what the new hospital will look like as we are currently in the early stages of planning. As we work through the planning and engagement process, we will be able to determine in more detail what the hospital will look like.
What work is taking place now to plan the new hospital?
At the moment, we are working with ‘master planning’ experts to determine the size and scale of the new hospital, based on our growing population and their predicted future need for NHS services. This work will help determine where the hospital may be built, how big it needs to be and what enabling works are needed.
As part of this, some surveys are currently taking place at the hospital including traffic, utility, topographic, ecological and arboriculture surveys. These surveys will provide us with a complete picture of the hospital site to help inform our planning.
All this work takes time, but it is important that we get it right, so it will take us a little while to get to a stage where we have a full plan in place for the new hospital.
Will there be other opportunities to get involved, or share my views about the plans for the new hospital?
Feedback from colleagues, patients, service users and local communities is an important part of our planning work, and there will be plenty of opportunities for people to share their views and speak to us about what is important to them.
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