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The East of England needs a specialist children's hospital. It's the only region in the country without one. Plans to right this are now moving at speed.

Work to design and build Cambridge Children's Hospital is incredibly exciting, with hundreds of people involved, from architects and engineers, to NHS staff and families. The vision is to bring the treatment of mental health and physical health together under one roof, alongside world-leading research.

Spread over five floors, this unique facility will include 108 inpatient beds, 16 paediatric intensive care beds, 42 day-case beds, seven operating theatres, imaging and diagnostics, hospital school, and a 5000 sq m research institute.

The idea of a specialist children's hospital in Cambridge has been bubbling around for decades. Follow this page to keep up to date on how we are making this a reality.

A man in a March 2024

Digging Down: Archaeology on the new hospital site

The archaeological works are a vital part of the work to prepare the Cambridge Children's Hospital site for construction next year.

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A group of people standing around a model of a hospital March 2024

TV star Doctor Xand visits Cambridge Children's Hospital team

TV's Dr Xand van Tulleken met the Cambridge Children's Hospital team, parents and young people to learn more about our work to build the East of England's first specialist children's hospital.

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A yellow digger on a muddy site February 2024

Preparation work begins on Cambridge Children’s Hospital site

After many years in the pipeline, work to make Cambridge Children's Hospital a reality has reached a new milestone after the diggers moved in to start preparing the site for construction next year.

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A front view of Cambridge Children's Hospital December 2023

Fundraising Campaign passes halfway mark

The Cambridge Children's Hospital fundraising campaign is over halfway to its £100 million target, with over £56 million secured in pledges and gifts.

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Hospital and garden September 2023

Outline Business Case approved, in principle

The Project had its Outline Business Case approved in principle by NHS England and the Department of Health and Social Care, allowing pre-construction works to go ahead.

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A group of young people and adults doing a thumbs up in an online meeting. August 2023

Youth Forums recruitment

Young people signed up for our two forums - one for age 14-18 and one for young adults age 19-25 - with their first meeting held in early September.

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a group of people smiling for the camera April 2023

Engaging with children and young people across the East

As the first specialist children's hospital for the East of England, it's important we hear from people all over the region.

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A concept design of a children's hospital ward, with a nurses station and seating for patients and carers. May 2023

Funding for Cambridge Children's Hospital

An explanation on how we are funding the region's first specialist children's hospital.

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A group of people March 2023

Inspiration from overseas

Cambridge Children's Hospital team visited two hospitals in Sweden for learning and inspiration.

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An architect image showing what some of the outdoor space might look like. Accessed from a ward, with places to sit, some of it covered, some of it open to the sky January 2023

Outline Business Case submitted

The submission was made just before Christmas 2022 to the Department of Health and Social Care and NHS England.

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Close up of the drawing in the sketchbook July 2022

Establishing Coproduction

Kate, one of our parent champions, talks about why it's vital people with lived experience support decision making.

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The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge study our plans June 2022

A Royal visit

Our young ambassadors and project team meet the Prince and Princess of Wales at Cambridgeshire County Day.

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Architect image showing Cambridge Children's Hospital's reception area March 2022

Planning permission granted

The early external hospital designs received the thumbs up from the Cambridge City Council planning committee.

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An orange background with the words Food, with Care conference, January 2022, in hand writing January 2022

'Food, with Care' conference

To launch the development of our food strategy for Cambridge Children's Hospital, we hosted a day-long conference.

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A concept design of the central courtyard at Cambridge Children's Hospital November 2021

Planning application submitted

The submission of the formal ‘reserved matters’ planning application built on the existing outline planning permission, which was granted previously.

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The front of Cambridge Children's Hospital August 2021

Early stage designs submitted

A significant step forward, not only in planning terms, but in sharing our vision for ‘a whole new way’.

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A boy in a red t shirt in a field of long grass March 2021

Fundraising campaign launches

Our campaign team committed to raising £100 million from philanthropy and fundraising to make our plans a reality.

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A drawing done by the architects showing ideas for the children's hospital including a tree house, books, a giant dog January 2021

Design team announced

The appointment of the design team, following a competitive tender process lasting several months, was a major milestone for the project.

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Girl standing outside hospital as part of campaign for cambridge children's network December 2020

Cambridge Children's Network launches

Children, young people and families from across the East of England were invited to get involved in the project.

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