Experts advising on hospital plan

Revised plans for modernising Guernsey's Princess Elizabeth Hospital are set to come to the States later this year, after work by consultants Arup is completed.

Dermot Mullins, director of operations for Health and Social Care (HSC) said: "Arup are on site to review plans needed for the outline business case, related to phase two of our hospital modernisation.

"This is planned to go to the States of Deliberation later in 2026."

The work follows a revelation in 2024 that the scheme was projected to be about £30m over budget, which officials did not initially tell politicians about.

When it was approved, phase two of the project included work to arrange the overall layout of the building and update facilities.

It also included a new children's ward, four new operating theatres and a new private ward to accommodate day case patients.

The work is now set to be completed in two phases, with the second focusing on refurbishing the emergency department.

Last year, States' chief executive Boley Smillie was tasked with finding £4m of savings within the States, and said he would be focusing on the use of consultants.

A review looking at how the project can be delivered in the agreed £120m budget was completed by UK firm Northmores.

The States said Northmores was completing a "value engineering exercise" of the project.

In January 2025, HSC said the project may need to be split into two phases, with the first part delivering 80% of the overall benefits for the agreed budget of £120m.

The States has not revealed how much the report from Northmores cost and has said it will not be released to the public.

The project to build a new critical care unit at the hospital, which was designated phase one of the overall scheme by the States, has also faced considerable delays.

Last year, the BBC revealed issues with the installation of new ventilation units, and the placement of some walls had caused further delays.

HSC was negotiating with contractors Rihoys and Son about how this work will be funded.

During an update to States members on the work of his committee, HSC President George Oswald said he hoped he could "open the units in 2026".

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