Plans for a new hospital for Harlow will be shared with the public at two virtual meetings hosted by The Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust.

The meetings, to be held on 21 January and 4 February 2021, will see senior hospital staff and clinicians present their vision for the new hospital. This will be followed by project architects Gilling Dod and CF Muller presenting design ideas for the main hospital welcome and reception areas.

There will be an opportunity for members of the public to question the hospital team on their plans as well as provide feedback on the welcome area designs.

Robert Halfon, MP for Harlow, will be joining the Trust at the first event on January 21.

Harlow’s Princess Alexandra Hospital is one of just six hospitals in the first round of the Government’s high profile £3.7 billion Health Infrastructure Programme. In September 2019, the hospital trust received confirmation of a multi-million-pound investment to build a brand-new hospital to replace the ageing current site.

The new Princess Alexandra Hospital promises to be a world-class facility that will deliver first rate care to current and future generations: able to swiftly adapt to innovation and change. Once plans are approved, the hospital intends to relocate from its current Harlow town centre location to a greenfield site close by.

Lance McCarthy, chief executive of The Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust, said: “I’m delighted with the huge progress we’ve made in planning for our new hospital, in this extremely challenging time for everyone working in the NHS.

“Our clinical staff have been instrumental in shaping the design and functionality of clinical spaces in the new hospital, working closely with the architects. We are now turning our focus to how our public-facing areas and facilities should work in our new hospital. To do that, we need residents to share their ideas and give us feedback.

“Please come along to one of our meetings and have your say. You will be contributing to an important aspect of the design process and helping us build a hospital for the future, together.”

Robert Halfon, MP for Harlow, said: “Despite the remarkable efforts of Harlow hospital staff, who do great work every day against the odds, our hospital building is not fit for purpose.

“A new Harlow hospital campus will transform health prospects in Harlow and the surrounding areas. It will act as a magnet for healthcare professionals around the country to come and work. It is one of the most important projects in Harlow in a generation."

The Princess Alexandra Hospital Trust is holding two online public discussion meetings on:

• Thursday January 21, 6.30pm to 8pm

• Thursday February 4, 6.30pm to 8pm

Register to attend the free events on Eventbrite using this link.

Or email: paht.newhospital@nhs.net

Please note these are virtual events and will be hosted live on Microsoft Teams. Members of the public can attend either date. Anyone unable to attend can take part in the Trust’s short digital survey using this link. Presentation materials will also be published online after the events.