PLANS for a new hospital have taken a big step forward.

Mid Cheshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (MCHT) has purchased land directly next door to Leighton Hospital.

This will form part of a new 'world-class' hospital campus expected to be complete by 2030, with the current site considered a 'risk' due to being made from Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete.

MCHT chief executive officer Ian Moston said: “This is a major milestone in the journey to removing our risk from RAAC and looking towards our new estate.

“By purchasing this land we can begin to finalise our plans to develop a world-class health and care campus for our local community.

“A new site that will deliver first-rate care for patients – transforming health outcomes and addressing health inequality for our local population.”

Northwich Guardian: The land purchased by MCHTThe land purchased by MCHT (Image: MCHT)

Leighton Hospital is to be replaced with a state-of-the-art new build following confirmation in May 2023 that it had been included in the Government’s New Hospital Programme (NHP).

Russ Favager is the senior responsible officer for this programme on the trust’s board of directors.

He said: “To get to this stage is testimony to the collaborative approach to working together across MCHT, our partners, and the national programme team.

“As we move through the planning and business case development stages we are committed to this partnership approach, continuing the close working with our local health and care partners as well as the national NHP team in order to drive forward with our ambitions to deliver our New Leighton campus by 2030.”

Mr Favager added: “We are fully supportive of the 'Hospital 2.0' model and are delighted to be a reference site for the development of the standardised approach.

“We are confident in the huge benefits this approach will bring for our people, our patients and the local health and care system.

“These benefits will be seen not only in the way health and care is planned and delivered but also in the social value that this significant investment will bring to support the economic, social and environmental wellbeing of our local communities.”

Going forward, the newly acquired land will be surrounded by fencing before the trust invites local organisations, schools and charities to get involved.

Dr Clare Hammell, MCHT’s chief medical officer and deputy CEO, believes the plans for the new health and care campus should be developed in partnership with the people and communities that will use the services.

She said: “This is the beginning of our exciting programme of engagement and involvement.

“By working together to design services we can ensure that our plans transform services for people’s needs today and those of our communities in the future.”