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Hospital Props Up Future: New Build Looms
25 May
Summary
- Queen Elizabeth Hospital struggles with crumbling Raac concrete.
- A new multi-storey car park construction begins in June 2026.
- The hospital rebuild is a priority due to its deteriorating condition.
The Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH) in Norfolk, built in the 1980s, is grappling with significant structural issues due to crumbling Raac concrete, with approximately 80% of its material being this unsafe composite. Thousands of support props are in place across wards and clinical areas, highlighting the urgent need for replacement.
Despite its precarious state, a new hospital build is proceeding. A 14.6-hectare site has been purchased for contractor use during construction. Preparatory work includes the relocation of the helipad, completed in January 2026, and the commencement of a new 1,335-space multi-storey car park in June 2026.
This new facility, a seven-storey 'smart hospital', will be built on the site of the current surface-level car park. The QEH, currently rated as the second-worst performing hospital nationally, has seen its maternity services undergo a national review. A rebuild by 2030 was confirmed in August 2024, with the DHSC accepting the hospital's strategic outline case in November 2025.
