Publish date: 30 December 2024
Chris Knights, Programme Director for Healthier Futures, looks ahead at what 2025 will mean for our plans to develop the new Leighton Hospital and a health and care neighbourhood:
While we expect 2025 to be a momentous and exciting year, we are under no illusions – it will be a challenging year.
It will be a year when we undertake a series of planning consultation events as part of an outline planning application, which will be submitted to Cheshire East Council in the spring, with the hope of securing permission later in the year.
We will continue to develop our Outline Business Case (OBC), which will be a massive programme of work. The OBC assesses the best option for delivering the strategic objectives and benefits within the resource envelope available.
We will also step up our design engagement work with our staff, as well as lived experience engagement with recent patients, along with a continuing programme of engagement with communities. This will all help shape the new hospital and the design work should be nearing completion by the end of 2025.
We will also be producing external layout designs, which support patient recovery, promote a positive visitor experience, and provide staff with rest and wellbeing areas, as well as implementing the first state of our social value plan.
There will be a start of work to bring power to the new site, and we will put plans in place for the procurement of the main works contractor to build the new hospital.
This is a major programme of work, but it will be achieved by us all working together.
We can and will create a new healthcare model. A place where people receive care in their homes and communities and can access services or go to hospital when they need to.
A place where resources are utilised well, and people are actively involved in their care. A place where technology, digital and data will help both proactive and personalised care be more effective, a place where we look after each other, we collaborate, where people join forces to improve the whole.
A place of 'Healthier Futures' for our people across Mid Cheshire.
Chris Knights,
Programme Director
