The new Women & Children’s wing is to be built as part of the Royal Cornwall Hospital in Truro, replacing the existing Princess Alexandra Wing.
The new building will also provide a new main entrance for the whole hospital and bring together all women and children’s services into one building.
The Truro hospital extension was one of 48 ‘new hospitals’ announced by the government in 2019. At that stage it was budgeted at £99m. The cost now has been put at £292m.
The programme has expanded in scope since its inception, starting with the demolition of six derelict houses to create the space for a works compound for Bam while building works are carried out over the next six years. Work is also under way to relocate car parking for patients and visitors.
The Women & Children’s Hospital programme is currently at outline business case stage. Treasury approval to move to the next stage is expected in the next few weeks. Enabling works for the new hospital will continue into 2024 and 2025, with the provision of a new pathology building and the relocation of cardiac and pharmacy services to make way for the new building.
The entire programme is expected to be finished in 2028.
BAM Construct UK regional construction director Graham Kingdon said: “What makes a building come to life from the outset is the strength of understanding between all the parties. That is what drives our ability to innovate, find additional sustainability solutions, and add value to the local economy and communities. Our goal is to deliver the new hospital to agreed timescales, solving problems as we go through the intelligent use of technology.
“The chance to build something special for so many people brings with it an obligation on us, as a responsible business, to use this opportunity to improve the lives of those around us. BAM will be working not just inside the hospital environment but also with the local communities in Cornwall to do our best to leave a positive community legacy, as well as an outstanding new hospital.”
Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust chief executive Steve Williamson said: “Over the last four years, there has been an immense amount of hard work undertaken behind the scenes, not just here at our hospitals, but also with our partners at NHS England, the Department of Health and Social Care and, more recently, with the New Hospital Programme teams. We’re delighted to see the plans for our Women and Children’s Hospital Programme progress to this stage, and to witness the start of the initial enabling works.”
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