New Hospitals Programme

Update on behalf of the NHS in Lancashire and South Cumbria

Following the outcome of the Government review of the national New Hospital Programme published on 20 January 2025, the timescales for delivering two new hospitals to replace Royal Preston Hospital and Royal Lancaster Infirmary have been significantly impacted.

In light of this delay, the local NHS has made the difficult decision to suspend public engagement on the proposed sites. The planned programme of public events and independent market research will be cancelled until further notice.

We would like to take this opportunity to thank people and our staff for their input.

We have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to transform our region’s hospitals

The Lancashire and South Cumbria New Hospitals Programme is aiming to address significant problems with our ageing hospitals in Preston (Royal Preston Hospital) and Lancaster (Royal Lancaster Infirmary). We also need to invest in Furness General Hospital’s infrastructure in the context of its strategic importance and geographically remote location.

Proposals to replace Royal Preston Hospital and Royal Lancaster Infirmary with two brand new hospitals are in progress. In addition, Furness General Hospital in Barrow will benefit from investment in improvements. 

This is our chance to shape our services to meet the needs of our patients, colleagues, and local communities, to enhance their experiences and create hospital facilities that our present and future generations deserve. 

Being able to build new hospitals on new sites will be truly transformational. This will give us the freedom to design our services and facilities around the needs of our patients, future-proofing for the next generation. 

Read more on the Lancashire and South Cumbria New Hospitals Programme website.