Construction of a new hospital at the site is not expected to begin until 2023 as part of delays to the New Hospital Programme announced by the Government in January 2025.

Lafferty said: ‘Our new hospital will be part of the wider growth and regeneration agenda for Harlow and its neighbouring communities. In the meantime, our ageing hospital estate continues to face significant and ongoing issues. Now that the start of construction for our new hospital has been delayed until 2032, we are working with system and NHS England colleagues to ensure we can maintain safe and effective facilities for our patients and staff across our current sites in the meantime.

‘We need significant funding of around £120m to maintain our estate ahead of the new hospital, with £70m of this above what we would expect to receive over the next 10 years. There is an urgent need for this funding to maintain key services that are deteriorating. Our absolute priority is patient safety and continuing to provide services effectively.'

A DHSC spokesperson said: ‘After years of broken promises and delays, we have put the New Hospital Programme on a sustainable and realistic footing. 

‘Work is getting underway as we build an NHS estate fit for the future, and over £1bn has been set aside to make inroads into the backlog of critical maintenance and repairs, safety and upgrades across the NHS estate.'