The future of the new Cambridge Cancer Research Hospital is now uncertain as the project has been included in a government review of new hospital projects.  

The Department of Health and Social Care has revealed the proposed hospital falls within the scope of its review into the New Hospitals Programme.  

It has been decided 25 of the 46 schemes will be investigated further and the government has not explained why Cambridge Cancer Research Hospital was included.

In the meantime, a Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust spokesperson has implied work will continue. 

The aim is to have the hospital built at the Cambridge Biomedical Campus by 2029. 

The spokesperson said: “We are continuing to make significant progress on the programme for Cambridge Cancer Research Hospital, after our outline business case was approved by NHS England, the Department of Health and Social Care and HM Treasury last summer.  

“A programme of pre-constructions works are set to begin in the coming months, including the installation of hoardings around the site, ground clearance and archaeological digs. 

“Our current schedule means the hospital is on track to be built by 2029.”

The ongoing work towards the Cambridge Children’s Hospital will continue as it has never been funded through the New Hospitals Programme and is therefore not part of the review. 

Wes Streeting, the health secretary, announced the major review into the scheme over the summer when he described the previous government’s proposals to build 40 new hospitals by 2030 as “unfunded and set to a fictional timeline”.   

The review was later confirmed by the Chancellor in a speech to Parliament.

The outcome will be confirmed as part of the government’s ongoing analysis on public spending.   

Elsewhere in the county, it was confirmed the new Hinchingbrooke Hospital, in Huntingdon, would continue and was out of scope for the review.