Work could start on East of England children's hospital in Cambridge in two years
Work on a fully integrated mental and physical health hospital for children in Cambridge could start as soon as 2021.
The completely new facility will be purpose-built to meet the needs of the region’s youngest patients. It will be the first in the world that fully integrates mental and physical health provision, underpinned by world class research in child health and genomics.
The new hospital aims to model innovation by using play, nature and education as part of care. It will also draw on creative therapies including music and the arts, as well as technology-enabled self-care by children and families, and treatment closer to home.
The design of the hospital will be shaped by and for the children and their families, and its environmental impact will also be considered.
The project will cost around £200m, which will be partly paid through the public sector, and partly through philanthropic donations.
It is hoped that an outline business case will be completed this year, with the full business case due by spring 2021. This would allow construction to begin as early as winter 2021.
A spokeswoman for Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Trust said: “The hospital brings together the unique offerings of its three partners: Cambridge University Hospitals, Cambridge & Peterborough Foundation Trust and the University of Cambridge Department of Paediatrics within the School of Clinical Medicine.
“It is a testament to our strong partnership working and to the credibility that we have built with national bodies as an STP, that we were successful in securing £100m government funding for the hospital in December 2018.”
Work is now in full flow to actively engage health providers, children and their families across the region, to develop design and construction plans, and – crucially – to attract around £100 million in philanthropic funding to add to the commitment of £100 million of public money announced in late 2018 by Matt Hancock.
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