Government issues major update on future of crumbling North Manchester General Hospital

The government has issued a major update on the future of North Manchester General Hospital where a huge rebuild is planned.

Health secretary Wes Streeting has told the House of Commons this afternoon (January 20) that the crumbling Victorian estate in Crumpsall will be among the first hospitals to be rebuilt. The government has now revealed that construction will begin by 2028.

It comes six months after Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced a review of the programme to build the '40 new hospitals' promised by the Tories. A few months later, MPs were told that North Manchester was one of 25 hospitals that were at risk of being delayed.

However, Mr Streeting has now announced that North Manchester General Hospital will be in the group of the highest priority projects. He said that construction on this wave of hospitals will begin between 2025 and 2030, while others will have to wait longer.

Documents published by the government following the health secretary's statement reveal that construction at North Manchester General Hospital is expected to start between 2027 and 2028. They also reveal that the estimated cost of the project is £1bn to £1.5bn.

Mr Streeting said: "Our review of the new hospital programme and the announcement I am making today will do two things. First, put the programme on a firm footing with sustainable funding so all projects can be delivered.

"Second, give patients an honest realistic deliverable timetable that they can believe in. This Labour government is rebuilding our NHS and as we do so, we will also rebuild trust in politics."

The much-needed transformation of North Manchester General Hospital from a crumbling Victorian estate to a state-of-the-art facility was promised by Boris Johnson in 2019.