NHS's 40 new hospitals target: plans and progress

Health systems and service delivery are undergoing a radical transformation with the long-term consequences of the pandemic, changing patient demographics, evolving population needs, technological advancements and staff challenges all leading to profound changes.

In England, the National Health Service (NHS) is working towards building 40 new hospitals by 2030 as a part of the New Hospitals Programme.

Josie Rudman, Transformation Director and Chief Nurse of the New Hospital Programme at NHS England, will be in Australia this March for the 13th Annual Australian Healthcare Week conference where she’ll share how NHS’s £20bn project is bringing “a once-in-a-generation change across the national NHS health system”.

Rudman — one of the three international headline speakers presenting at the event, to be held at the International Convention Centre Sydney from 20–21 March 2024 — is leading multidisciplinary work streams at the NHS to set new standards, provide assurance, deliver and continuously learn as the service sets up to deliver £20bn worth of new hospital developments across the country.

“The New Hospital Programme is providing a catalyst for change. We are ensuring we work system and region wide to ensure we build the right hospital which is the right size to provide hospital care into the future,” said Rudman in a program update by the Australian Healthcare Week.

“We are pulling best practice from across the NHS and from across the globe to enable us to build the best possible hospitals that are standardised, flexible and intelligent, so they can flex and change as health care advances in the future.

“We are articulating the transformational journey needed to move organisations into a place where they can optimise the use of the building to improve safety, productivity and both staff and patient experience. The programme aims to update the way in which health care infrastructure is delivered so that it can be delivered in a more cost-effective way, is sustainable and at pace.”

To hear Rudman and network with other industry professionals, attend the conference by securing your free ticket here. Visitors can also enhance the event experience with a premium pass, which allows them to attend 90-minute masterclasses delving into healthcare transformation and innovation.

With more than 150 leading health sector speakers, over 100 sessions and two deep-dive master classes, the conference has something for everyone. The event will feature seven free-to-attend stages: Healthcare 2040; Digital Healthcare; Healthcare Transformation; Patient Experience; Nursing and Midwifery; AI in Healthcare; and Startups.

The key topics to be discussed at this year’s conference, themed “Creating A Design Driven Healthcare System”, include: interoperability, integrated care models, the scaling of digital health solutions, funding models and workforce dynamics. Some of the key speakers at the event include: global health futurist Ed Marx, Ex-CIO, Cleveland Clinic; Marc Paradis, Vice President Data Strategy, Northwell Health; Susan Pearce, Secretary, NSW Ministry of Health; Rob Tassie, General Manager, Digital Health and Innovation, Wesfarmers Health; Jacqui Cross, Chief Nursing and Midwifery Office, NSW Health; Dr Nirvana Luckraj, Chief Medical Officer, Healthdirect Australia; and Deidre McGill, Chief Operating Officer, Home and Community Support, Bolton Clarke.

Image credit: iStock.com/momnoi