Ten major contractors have been selected to partner with NHS trusts as the Government pushes ahead with the first wave of its £14bn New Hospital Programme.

The long-awaited Wave 1 projects form a key part of the wider £60bn national hospital investment strategy and will focus heavily on replacing ageing healthcare buildings, particularly those affected by reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC).

Among the successful firms, Skanska emerged as the standout contractor after securing roles on two separate schemes – the rebuild of James Paget Hospital in Great Yarmouth and the redevelopment of the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in King’s Lynn.

The first phase includes seven hospitals impacted by RAAC, which were prioritised after safety reviews concluded that the buildings could not continue operating safely beyond 2030 without major intervention. These schemes are now being accelerated under the Government’s revised delivery timetable.

All seven RAAC projects will be fully rebuilt using the Government’s standardised Hospital 2.0 model, a platform-based approach designed to improve efficiency, reduce construction costs and speed up delivery across the NHS estate.

The Department of Health and Social Care confirmed that formal contracts are expected to be signed during the summer, with construction activity anticipated to begin during 2027 and 2028.

The line-up of contractors reflects a broad mix of established healthcare and major infrastructure specialists. Graham will deliver Airedale General Hospital in Keighley, while Sacyr UK has been paired with Frimley Park Hospital in Surrey. Kier will take on Hinchingbrooke Hospital in Huntingdon and Integrated Health Projects has been selected for Leighton Hospital in Mid-Cheshire.

Elsewhere, Dragados will oversee West Suffolk Hospital in Bury St Edmunds, while Laing O’Rourke has secured the Hillingdon Hospital scheme in London. Morgan Sindall has been linked with Milton Keynes University Hospital, Bovis with North Manchester General Hospital and Willmott Dixon with the new Women and Children’s Hospital project in Cornwall.

The programme represents one of the largest healthcare construction pipelines currently planned in the UK and is expected to generate significant opportunities across the supply chain as projects move towards delivery.

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